SHANGHAI (REUTERS)Nightclubs in China have mostly come back to life as owners and customers feel increasingly comfortable that the novel coronavirus epidemic is under control, however, disinfectant, disposable cups and masks have become part of the experience.
At 44KW, a club for electronic music lovers in the financial hub of Shanghai, customers sat, danced and mingled with little sign of social distancing on the weekend.
The club reopened in mid-March after closing for about six weeks, however, it took a while for business to get back to normal.
"There really weren't several clients as most people were quite worried about their safety," said Mr Charles Guo, founder of 44KW.
"Our client flow began to recover quickly towards the end of April," Mr Guo said, adding that business was back to the previous year's average levels by mid-May.
However, not everything is like the old days.
The club checks the temperature of every customer and gets them to register their details.
Staff, including bouncers, bartenders and waiters wear masks and gloves all the time. Customers don't have to wear masks however, several do.
Some glasses have been replaced with plastic cups and the club has installed hand sanitiser dispensers throughout.
Door handles and toilets are disinfected every hour, while the entire club is disinfected every day before and after opening, Mr Guo said.
Clubs have been at the centre of coronavirus flare-ups in other Asian cities. A cluster of cases linked to clubs emerged in South Korea this month, triggering fears of another wave of infections and leading to clubs and bars being shut again.
"I checked with my friends about what types of precautions were taken at each venue before deciding which one to go to," 23-year-old clubber Cao Douzi told Reuters outside 44KW.
China, where the coronavirus emerged late the previous year, has seen a sharp fall in cases since March.