It is international beer day, but there won’t be any celebrating

Merrymakers have over time come up with many unique celebrations, including the Girlfriend’s Day and January’s National Hugging Day.

Today, the first Friday of August is supposed to be special day for beer lovers in the world – the International Beer Day.

The day is celebrated by brew fans, marked with the coming together of friends to share a beer and a meal. It is aimed at celebrating the beverage as well as those who brew and serve it.

However, in Kenya, revelers are still reeling from the July ban of alcohol sale in restaurants and bars. The 'new' holiday has come at a time when party-goers are urged to practice social distancing and avoid all forms of close contact and gatherings.

In multiple states across and the world and here, health officials have warned that bars and house parties are major obstacles in the fight against Covid-19.

“Young people have to take responsibility and ask themselves, do I really need to go to that party? It is tough but it is what is needed to stop the virus,” warned the World Health Organisation (WHO) on Wednesday.

In the meantime, bars and restaurants are pleading with the government to lift the ban on alcohol sale to save the jobs of thousands of workers.

“Save our restaurants. Three million restaurant jobs are at risk if we don’t act now,” reads a banner circulating on social media. It has been reposted by major restaurants and entertainment spots across Nairobi and calls on party-goers to sign a petition to the government.

Nyama Mama, a restaurant with several branches across Nairobi, says that although they know and support that health comes first right now, Kenyans' jobs and livelihoods should be protected.

Partying continues to be put on hold, following a resurgence of infections soon after the reopening of bars in other countries.

In July, there were 152 infections linked to a local Michigan bar right after re-opening, even with physical distancing measures put in place. The infections occurred in a span of eight days between June 12 and 20.

Alcohol manufacturing giant, East Africa Breweries Limited, said in June that its profit after tax for the year ending June was likely to decline by 25 per cent compared to the previous year, hurt by the coronavirus pandemic.