All food handlers required to wear masks

All workers who sell, process or cook food are now required to wear masks under revised rules as part of efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and food contamination.

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety made an advance legislation notice Thursday for the revised enforcement regulations of the food safety law, which also requires restaurants and other food outlets to provide hand sanitizer or facilities for customers to wash or sanitize their hands.

Operators of food outlets must also temporarily remove employees with fever or other symptoms of infectious diseases from work, or make them get health checkups.

The revised set of rules provides legal grounds for suspending business of clubs and other entertainment facilities that violate local government heads’ orders against gathering at such places.

This adds to imposing fines on violators of orders against gathering at such places under the law on prevention of infectious diseases.

The ministry plans to provide small food outlets with masks and hand sanitizer.

By Kim So-hyun (sophie@heraldcorp.com)