Mumbai, July 6: Hotels, lodges and guest houses can open with certain restrictions from July 8 in non-containment zones across Maharashtra. The Uddhav Thackeray government on Monday issued guidelines for hotels and other entities providing accommodation services. Hotels, lodges and guest houses will operate at 33 percent capacity and only asymptomatic guests will be allowed to have accommodation. Unlock 1: Health Ministry Issues SOPs For Malls, Religious Places, Private Offices, Hotels And Restaurants.

"Entrance to have mandatory thermal screening provisions. Reception tables should have a protective glass...Hand sanitizer preferably with pedal-operated dispensers must be made freely available...Only asymptomatic guests shall be allowed...The face mask has to be worn at all times inside the hotel," the Maharashtra government said. Hotels, lodges and guest houses across Maharashtra had been shut following a nationwide lockdown in March. Maharashtra Government Takes Over 80% Of Beds In Private Hospitals For COVID-19 Patients.

Maharashtra Govt Allows Opening of Hotels, Lodges, Guest Houses From July 8:

All guests must install Aarogya Setu app on their smartphones and should be encouraged to minimise the use of housekeeping services, the state government said. It further directed hotels to inform the authorities if a guest displays COVID-19 symptoms. The suspected person should be isolated and disinfection of the premises will be undertaken if the person is found to be COVID-19 positive, said the guidelines.

The central government had in June released the standard operating procedure (SOP) for restaurants and hotels which included measures like allowing only asymptomatic staff and guests inside the premises and proper crowd management. It asked entities providing accommodation to ensure a proper record of the guest's travel history and medical condition, along with

ID and self-declaration form.

With a spike of more than 6,555 cases in just one day, Maharashtra remained the worst-hit state with cases reaching upto 2,06,619 on Monday and 8,822 casualties so far of which 151 occurred in the last 24 hours.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 06, 2020 06:00 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).