Nearly two-and-a-half months after the coronavirus cast a dark shadow over retail trade, a limited number of shopping malls, restaurants, wayside eateries and tea stalls admitted customers in a severely restricted manner on Tuesday.

However, the number of patrons appeared to be few and far between. The public seemed conscious that the pandemic remained a threat in the State. The persistent rise in new COVID-19 cases appeared to have dampened the appetite for dining out.

The restaurant industry, hobbled by the lockdown, appeared to focus more on home deliveries and takeaways, which accounted for the bulk of their business. The outbreak had also deprived the industry of revenue of latenight dining.

Many popular restaurants remained closed due to non-availability of staff given the dearth of public transport. The pandemic- spurred exit of migrant workers also impeded the reopening of several restaurants.

Those who opened operated at less than half their seating capacity. The few that allowed in-house dining checked customers before allotting them tables spaced at least two metres apart. Waiters wore masks and gloves and regularly sanitised the precincts.

Digital transactions

Many establishments chose to transact business in digital form. They preferred electronic cash transfer over currency notes to reduce the risk of transmission. Tea stalls and fruit juice vendors served customers in limited numbers. Police patrols routinely warned the owners against overcrowding. Most used paper cups to serve customers instead of the customary glasses.

Most hotels were particular that they would not serve citizens above the age of 65, pregnant women and children below 10. The Food and Safety Department and health authorities inspected several premises.

The few shopping malls that opened were bereft of teeming crowds of families with raucous children in tow. Cinema halls, play areas and gaming centres in the complexes remained shut. The air-condition remained switched off in most parts, and the once- crowded food courts offered vistas of empty chairs and shuttered fastfood outlets.

The staff examined the body temperature of customers and turned back children and senior citizens. They also registered the mobile number of visitors. Several air-conditioned shopping complexes that vaguely qualified as malls also remained shut. Most establishments operated on minimal staff and janitors regularly disinfected the premises. There were separate entry and exit points for visitors.