Chennai: Shopping malls, religious places, hotels and restaurants have reopened in most states from today, after more than two months of sustained shut down as part of government’s Unlock 1.0 plan to reopen several economic activities that were earlier restricted due to novel coronavirus pandemic.

However, visiting shopping malls, hotels or restaurants and religious places will no longer be the same like before the country wide lockdown was imposed. Cinema halls, gaming arcades and children play areas will continue to be in the prohibited segment.

But still, health experts have expressed concern that reopening of malls and other places would lead to increase in Covid-19 cases. The Union Health Ministry had issued a set of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the strict adherence at these places to contain the spread of COVID-19 but also left it to the discretion of the states to finetune the details.

In Delhi, malls will focus on contact-less shopping and physical distancing, and will conduct hourly disinfection of the common areas, according to some of the mall owners.

The general SOPs issued by the Centre included measures like allowing only asymptomatic staff, guests, customers and devotees on the premises, proper crowd management and maintaining effective and frequent sanitation, with a particular focus on lavatories, drinking and hand washing stations/areas.

Frequently touched surfaces like door knobs, elevator buttons, hand rails, benches and washroom fixtures among othes are be cleaned and regularly disinfected.