TIRANA, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- Albania will open indoor spaces of bars, restaurants and swimming pools from Oct. 1, Minister of Health and Social Protection Ogerta Manastirliu announced here on Sunday.
Via a Facebook video message, Manastirliu said the Technical Committee of Experts on the coronavirus situation has approved the security protocols for the reopening of indoor spaces of bars, cafes, restaurants and swimming pools starting from Oct. 1.
She said every business and citizen must respect health protocols such as keeping physical distancing, hygiene and mask-wearing, which is mandatory for the staff.
"I believe we all agree that compliance with safety rules and protocols is a non-negotiable condition for businesses and service activities to continue operating and that the economy is not affected by restrictions imposed due to the preservation of public health," she said.
On May 18, the Albanian government decided to ease some restriction measures imposed to prevent the spread of the disease and allowed restaurants, cafes and bars to resume work only in their outdoor spaces.
Manastirliu also said that discos, pubs and nightclubs will continue to remain closed, according to the Normative Act adopted in July 2020.
On Sunday, health authorities reported 106 new coronavirus cases, bringing the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Albania to 13,259, with 7,534 recoveries and 377 fatalities. Enditem
