After a two-week shutdown, the Covent Garden Market is set to reopen its doors to customers today with revised safety protocols, despite concerns from people on social media.

"We will not be a market as you would normally know it," said Bob Usher, the market's general manager. "We are a take out operation. All of our tables and chairs have been removed, so you can't come in and just sit around and have food," he added.

Earlier this month, the market closed its doors temporarily to curb the spread of COVID-19 and ensure the safety of their staff and customers.

On Friday, a few days after the provincial government released their list of essential services, the market announced it would be reopening on April 1 and dozens of Londoners have expressed their concern online.

However, Usher says the market is essential for many people in the core.

"We have a lot of seniors who live downtown and say they're afraid to go on a bus, but they can walk to the market," he said. "We owe it to some of them and we're now not any different from a grocery store."

In order to ensure safety, the market has made changes including enabling only the King Street entrance, limiting the number of people coming in to allow for proper physical distancing inside and having hand sanitizer available for people entering and exiting the building.

In addition to a deep-cleaning of the premises, all non-essential shops in the market will be closed as will the second floor. The market will also be operating on reduced hours — Monday to Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and the Middlesex-London Health Unit will be on site before the market reopens to ensure all health and safety requirements have been met.

Despite these measures, none of the 45 vendors that the market houses are required to open and as of Tuesday afternoon, Usher was unable to comment on how many would be.

Chris Lyons, the owner of Chris' Country Cuts, is one of the merchants who will not be opening up in the market Wednesday.

"It's just too soon," Lyons, who has shifted his business by providing curbside pickups and contactless delivery, told CBC News.

"It's not safe yet, so why are we doing it?," he asked, adding that he's been watching the number of positive COVID-19 cases climb in the city. "Some [vendors] are all gung-ho to be here and get back to work and I appreciate the fact that it's a financial conundrum for everybody, but that doesn't mean it's necessarily safe," he added.

Usher said that in terms of rent, the market is waiving it for all vendors, regardless if they're closed, for the month of April in order to help with the financial burden brought on by COVID-19.

The farmer's market that operates outside of the Covent Garden Market will remain closed. Officials hope to reopen it on May 2.