Updated 20 October 2020 at 13:01 IST
Kolkata restaurant gives customers zip masks free of cost to ensure safety amid COVID-19
The measure has been adopted by Wok’ies, Kolkata’s first-ever 2D themed monochromatic cafe located in Rabindra Sarobar, Kalighat, for customers' safety.
A restaurant in Kolkata has caused a stir after it introduced zipped masks to its customers free of charge in order to dine without having to remove the protective face covering or compromising their safety. According to a post shared by news agency ANI on Twitter, the measure has been adopted by Wok’ies, Kolkata’s first-ever 2D themed monochromatic cafe located in Rabindra Sarobar, Kalighat, Kolkata. The all-white mask has the cafe’s logo and a black zipper near the mouth that allows customers to unzip it and enjoy the delicacies.
While the idea struck as extremely safe to some, the others objected saying that the masks violated the WHO’s guidelines. However, in its clarification, the establishment owner said that he did not strictly impose for the customers to wear these masks but provided them for free as a humble gesture. The move was aimed to make people visiting the restaurant feel safe and protected. The restaurant businesses had been under the clampdown for a while due to the COVID-19 pandemic therefore, it is now essentially important for the businesses to run with precautionary measures and mask protocol in place. Businesses worldwide have opted for mandating the wearing of protective masks or other face coverings in public places – including restaurants.
Masks 'important for safety'
The restaurant’s initiative depicts its priority to ensure the well-being of the customer with systemwide mask applicability. “In the COVID-19 situation wearing masks is very important for the individual's safety and that of the society at large,” the establishment owner Sengupta told ANI. She added that while he was indebted to the government for allowing the restaurants to reopen and business to resume, it was the duty of the businesses to uphold maximum precautions. Speaking of the mask, Sengupta said, “It’s a customized mask which can be worn even while they are having their food, it has a zipper which they can zip in or out as per the need.” Her decision to distribute masks comes as West Bengal’s case‐recovery rate declined as of October 19 with an onslaught of 3,992 cases, the highest recorded for the fifth day.
Published By : Zaini Majeed
Published On: 20 October 2020 at 13:02 IST