São Paulo Bans Bars from Serving Customers on Sidewalks: See Complete Rules

SÃO PAULO, BRAZIL – The São Paulo City Hall has decided to ban bars and restaurants from serving customers on the sidewalks   establishments. The measure was announced on Saturday, July 4th, by Mayor Bruno Covas, who stated the rules for commercial establishments allowed to open on Monday, July 6th – also the case of beauty salons.

The ban on sidewalk service was announced after the record of customer crowds outside bars and restaurants in Leblon, in the southern zone of Rio de Janeiro.

Before the opening in Rio last week, the city considered allowing bars and restaurants to use public streets and sidewalks with tables and awnings to serve customers. The Ocupa Rua pilot project comprises 30 establishments and was expected to be implemented in the second half of this month following the new phase of flexible quarantine.

The guidelines announced on Saturday were negotiated with sector organizations, evaluated and approved by the Health Regulatory agency. The bars and restaurants have been closed since March 24th due to the state government decree.

The venues are expected to reduce service to 40 percent of their capacity and may host customers for six hours a day. For restaurants and bars, services must close at 5 PM due to the state decree that provides for quarantine relaxation measures. In addition, cashiers and service counters must be equipped with acrylic screens.

Other measures are required to be met by all establishments reopening on Monday, such as sanitizing tables, chairs, armchairs and other items for each customer. The employees must be trained by the establishments and the venues are required to provide sanitizer gel and sanitize pay machines after each use. Check below the rules for each sector.

Bars and Restaurants
Opening Hours
Establishments may remain open for up to six hours, respecting the limit of 5 PM.

Maximum occupancy allowed
The venue will only be allowed to operate at 40 percent capacity. A maximum of six clients per table will be allowed.

Service
Digital menus or prices and products displayed on “large and visible” boards and blackboards.
Restaurants staff must be provided with PPE (personal protective equipment) for customer service, as well as in self-service establishments.

Use of the space
The establishment must have signage stickers on the floor to advise a safe distance between clients, tables must placed two meters away from each other and chairs one meter away.
Customers may only consume when seated and the sale of products for consumption on the sidewalk is banned. Windows and doors must be kept open and, in the case of air-conditioned rooms, appliances must be kept properly maintained.

Beauty, aesthetics and wellness salons

Opening hours
Establishments must operate for a maximum of six hours a day and may implement exclusive attendance times for people within the risk group, such as seniors over 60 years old.

Maximum allowed occupancy
The number of people in the establishment may not exceed 40 percent of its capacity.

Attendance
It must be arranged by appointment.
Each client can only be served by one employee at a time.
All employees must wear masks, gloves, caps, goggles (or face shield) and long-sleeved waterproof apron.

Barbershops and beauty salons must, obligatorily, wash customers’ hair and ears before initiating cut or procedures to avoid contagion. Manicures and pedicures should reduce the exposure of enamels to the environment.

Use of space
Services must be provided in separate booths. If a booth is not available for each client, the establishment must respect a minimum distance of two meters.

Employees in a risk group or with young children If employees and bar, restaurant and beauty salon staff are part of the risk group or have no one with whom to leave their children or dependents due to quarantine, the business managers must implement teleworking or, if this is not possible, sign an agreement with the employee based on current federal legislation.