The city government has issued a directive imposing a no dine-in policy in restaurants and liquor ban to protect the public from exposure and infection with the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

Mayor Alfred Romualdez issued Executive Order No. 2020-03-16 on Sunday outlining some measures to contain the spread of the highly-contagious virus in the city.

The directive asks restaurants, food/snack houses, coffee shops, cafes, and diners to only accept drive-thru and take-out orders. The policy will continue to take effect until further notice

Likewise, the selling, buying, taking or consumption of liquor within the city will be temporarily prohibited from March 15, 2020, to March March 31, 2020.

“We have to strictly implement appropriate responses and measures as we have to prepare for the worst. These are just temporary. We have to do this as needed,” Romualdez said in a press briefing on Monday.

The city government has warned to temporarily close any establishment that will violate the directive.

Felisa’s Café and Restaurant said they are one with the city government “as we deal with this current crisis”.

“The safety of our customers and staff is our priority. We will be observing the Executive Order issued by the city mayor’s office,” the management said in their Facebook post.

As of Monday, the entire Eastern Visayas region has no positive case of Covid-19 with 19 patients under investigation and 206 persons under monitoring. (PNA)