'Masks And Straws In Bars Not Feasible Ideas'

Bar industry representatives have rejected calls to encourage patrons use straws and wear masks while drinking, saying this is not a practical idea when fizzy drinks like beer, or hard liquor are involved.

Government adviser and microbiologist Yuen Kwok-yung had proposed that bar customers could sip their drinks using straws while still wearing their masks as a way to prevent coronavirus infections.

"I would say this is not really practical," said the chairperson of the Bartenders and Mixologists Union, Cat Hou.

She said it's not suitable to drink beer and hard liquor with straws. "I won't say no to this, but I would say it's case by case, see what drinks they're drinking."

Hou told RTHK's Joanne Wong that a better way to prevent outbreaks would be by practising a high level of hygiene.

But the trade has voiced fears that bars in the city could be shut down because of a recent cluster at China Secret bar in Tsim Sha Tsui and said they are stepping up hygiene measures to prevent clusters developing in bars.

The Licensed Bar and Club Association said its 400 members have started rolling out electronic health declaration forms for customers to fill in, have stepped up disinfection routines, and introduced tags for staff who have tested negative for Covid-19.

The association's chairman, Leung Lap-yan, revealed that about two-thirds of the city's bars have adopted an electronic health declaration system for patrons, to help with contact tracing if someone is infected.

Leung also urged the government not to impose blanket measures on bars, should a cluster emerge again. "If there's a bar that got unlucky, then that bar can suspend operations for 14 days and conduct thorough disinfection," he said.

The representatives also repeated calls on the government to allow them to operate beyond midnight, saying their earn more money after 11pm.