For example, this means that catering establishments must remain closed after 8:30 p.m., with the exception of takeaway. For restaurants on commercial premises, only single parties, i.e. one person, are welcome.

The rules are from the Public Health Agency and have also been extended on previous occasions. In addition to requirements for restaurants, stores, malls and shopping centers must ensure that people shop on their own and a maximum of 500 people are allowed to be in the total area of the businesses at the same time.

”"The situation in healthcare is under pressure and means that the restrictions must remain in place. Keeping distance from each other prevents the spread of Covid-19, and the measures make it possible for people to keep their distance," says state epidemiologist Anders Tegnell in a press release.

The restaurant industry has previously shown great anger over the rules that hit businesses hard and are perceived as ”strange.” The restriction that only single-person dining applies to restaurants at retail locations is one such example, according to Stefan Lundin, chief legal officer at the industry organization Visita.

”"It's a rule that can't be described as anything else, it's just strange. There's no difference between a restaurant in a mall and a restaurant in another place," he told TT.

Source: TT