Hotels and hostels already have biosecurity protocol

The representatives of tourist accommodation establishments received the general protocol for their reopening once the health emergency for the new coronavirus (covid-19) passes.

Hotels and hostels already have biosecurity protocol

The Minister of Tourism, Rosi Prado de Holguín, delivered this Friday, May 22, the document, prepared by the Ministry of Tourism , in a coordinated work with the Ministry of Health , the Agency for Health Regulation and Control (Arcsa) and the Agency for Regulation and Control of Biosecurity and Quarantine for Galapagos .

The protocol has the necessary parameters for its application to ensure the activity of tourist accommodation establishments and protect the health of staff and their clients , said the minister at the delivery ceremony that all biosecurity measures were met in a capital hotel.

André Obiol, representative of the Hotel Association of Ecuador (Ahotec) pointed out that these protocols show the joint work between the industry and the Ministry of Tourism to reactivate the sector and called on Ecuadorians to commit to touring Ecuador after the emergency .

Meanwhile, Gabriela Sommerfeld, representative of the Ecuadorian-American Chamber of Commerce, thanked the delivery of this protocol, which “is one more step for the industry to reactivate itself ” and thus again attract tourists to our country.

What does the protocol establish?

According to this protocol, tourist accommodation establishments must observe the hours of service established by the National COE and the capacity will be according to the agglomeration of people that allows the traffic light of the canton.

Regarding work personnel, he points out that the owners of the premises must provide them with personal protective equipment and designate a specific locker room area, as well as take the temperature of the workers at the beginning and end of the workday.

Each guest must go through a sanitary filter at the entrance of the establishment, wear a surgical mask, fill out a symptom sheet and comply with the social distance of at least 1.5 meters .

In common areas and rooms there must be signs with relevant information such as emergency numbers , health centers and pharmacies, as well as biosecurity measures that must be followed.

As a preventive measure, hotel and hostel owners should temporarily remove newspapers and magazines from the lobby and encourage the use of personal electronic devices to prevent the safety of customers and service personnel.

In addition, virtual or credit card or voucher payment methods will be implemented , to minimize the possibility of contact between people. Once the guest is served, the counter must be disinfected.

Staff will check at least twice a day the operation and supply of soap, disinfectant gel, disposable paper dispensers and keep a daily record of cleaning and disinfecting toilets, sinks and door handles and taps for common toilets.

The bars and dining rooms of the hotels and hostels will limit the capacity and restrict the buffet service, as well as the delivery of food directly to the rooms. In the case of room service, food will be placed on a table at the door of the room and guests will come to pick it up.

Likewise , tourist accommodation establishments will be disinfected with quaternary ammonium . Table linens, bedding and towels should be washed separately constantly with soap and water, or machine washed at 60ʹ90 ° C.

The personnel in charge of the administration will be in charge of continuously sizing the workers of the preventive measures and will coordinate a crisis committee in the event of the presence of suspected or confirmed cases of covid-19 being declared. (I)