A pizza restaurant has taken the extreme step of screening its customers for symptoms of the coronavirus before allowing them to step inside their building.
Verace Pizzeria, in Sydney’s north, issued the warning to its customers this week as the number of Australians infected with the deadly virus continues to rise – with nine cases now confirmed.
‘We take the health and safety of all our customers and staff extremely seriously and as a result have decided to impose health restrictions on all people entering our restaurant,’ the Facebook post read.
Verace Pizzeria, in Sydney’s north, issued the warning to its customers this week as the number of Australians infected with the deadly virus continues to rise – with nine cases now confirmed (stock image pictured)
A pizza restaurant has taken the extreme step of screening its customers for symptoms of the coronavirus before allowing them to step inside their building (pictured: Verace Pizzeria, in Sydney’s north)
‘No person of any age or nationality will be allowed to enter the restaurant if they present with ANY flu like symptoms including but not limited to; running nose, coughing, sore throat, fever or signs of any upper respiratory infection.
The post said the restriction was in place to ensure their ‘extremely busy restaurant helps prevent any spread of the virus to the people of Sydney’.
‘We want you to leave our restaurant with a smile, a full belly and perfect health.’
The restriction is in place until further notice.
The restaurants new policy has drawn a mixed reaction, with some saying they are being ‘over the top’.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Verace Pizzeria for comment.
The warning comes as two more cases are confirmed in Australia – taking the total number to nine (Pictured: Passengers wearing protective masks arrive at Sydney International Airport in Sydney, Thursday)
Verace Pizzeria, in Sydney’s north, issued the warning to its customers this week as the number of Australians infected with the deadly virus continues to rise – with nine cases now confirmed
‘Do you have to pass a medical to eat at your restaurant?’ one person asked.
However, others thought the restriction was a good idea.
‘Hopefully by doing this you guys have set the example for other busy places and encourage unwell people to isolate themselves,’ one woman wrote.
The disease, which has killed at least 162 people around the world, is believed to have come from Wuhan, a city of 11 million people.
The virus is believed to have spread from the Huanan Wholesale Seafood Market. Such ‘wet’ markets sell meat and seafood alongside live animals such as dogs, rats, snakes, civets and supposedly koalas.
The proximity of people to live and dead animals makes it easy for humans to contract viruses.
The SARS virus which broke out in 2003 also likely started in wet markets.
SARS was originally hosted by bats which infected other animals. Those animals transmitted SARS to humans.
All but around 70 of the more than 6,000 cases so far identified have been in China, mostly in and around Wuhan.
Symptoms of the virus include fever, cough, sore throat and shortness of breath
The other countries with confirmed cases include Australia, Cambodia, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Malaysia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Thailand, South Korea, the UAE, the United States, and Vietnam.
The Chinese government has put Wuhan into virtual quarantine to try and stop the spread of the virus.
A number of foreign governments have advised against non-essential travel to China and have begun flying their citizens out of Wuhan.