The hospitality industry is agitated with the extension of the covid passport

“Can you imagine our 80-year-old customers printing their covid passport tonight so they can have a latte at the bar tomorrow?” The reflection is launched by the owner of a small business in a Maresme municipality where almost everyone knows each other, but where most older people do not have a mobile phone with a camera, nor would they know how to download the famous certificate, despite being vaccinated from minute one . They do not know if with that panorama they will be able enter a cafeteria starting tomorrow. The sector has received between resignation and hope that obligation to demand the covid passport from its clients. “Anything before returning to time restrictions, while we still carry the backpack of ICO credits that will have to be returned shortly”, reflects Francesc Pintado, president of the Federation of Hospitality Entrepreneurs of the Province of Tarragona. This employer defended the measure, but is also aware of the challenges and complications that will pose to a sector that finally took flight after black months.

The voice of experience is provided this Thursday by the Fecasarm, as a patronage of nightlife that also brings together restaurateurs. Those who have double licenses will have to advance a few hours the requirement of the passport, with which they have lived at the time of drinks and dancing since October. Joaquim Boadas, its secretary general, regrets that the Government did not accept his proposal for an App, Liberty Pass, which works with different countries (not only in the EU) and could incorporate anticovid tests as a diagnostic test certificate (essential) from collaborating centers. The group has lived these weeks with numerous incidents, starting with the moments of collapse that registers the La Meva Salut website. Here are some of the situations that will arise from this Friday:

Complexity for customers and hoteliers

The older population with more technological barrierss will depend on someone to facilitate the management of the certificate and print it. Otherwise they will be unable to access cafes or restaurants, as daily rituals and socialization. Similarly, smaller or understaffed businesses may have difficulties in assuming this new role, which also means checking with the DNI the ownership of the covid passport. Pintado sees it as very “disturbing” to have to allocate new “human resources” in the case of businesses that are already very asphyxiated. In some cases the control will be done at the entrance, and in others the waiters themselves will do the screening when serving the interior tables or the bar.

Dependence on technology and demand for a specific app

The Fecasarm complains of collapses that the Salut website has experienced for the verification of these weeks and demands a more functional application, which does not hang or can integrate the certificates of clients that are not from the European Union. The Gremi de Restauració de Barcelona maintains that the verification should be quick and agile. It is enough for the hotelier to use a mobile or tablet connected via the internet with the portal, which must be fluid and allow the procedure in a few seconds. For this reason, it has requested citizen collaboration so that the client has their QR downloaded or printed and the process does not complicate access or generate queues.

Require client vaccinations with unimmunized personnel

All those interviewed agree that the requirement for vaccination affects consumers, but not business personnel. That is, an unvaccinated manager may be vetoing access to someone in the same condition. And it may be generating a risk to the client. In addition to this contradiction, it is feared that in cases of strict application there may be disputes if an employee denies access to someone who has forgot your ID or who is part of a family group, among endless examples. To what extent should the staff act as ‘police’? They wonder. It is assumed that some businesses will opt for the wide sleeve.

Mismatches between vaccination measures and tests

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Entrepreneurs in the hospitality industry complain that the decision, once again, was sudden and with little room for preparation. The Barcelona union asks that the certificate be also for other sectors and spaces, highlights its director, Roger Pallarols. And the Fecasarm claims that the pharmacy tests serve to avoid having to continue discarding numerous and necessary travelers from outside the EU who must now validate their vaccination in CAPS, further overloading the system. The sector also demands more massive vaccination points if you want to encourage immunization with this measure. Without forgetting the risk that users choose only terraces and turn their backs on the interiors, to avoid the paperwork.