ABU DHABI — The United Arab Emirates has issued an integrated health and safety advisory outlining all precautionary measures that must be pursued across all hotel establishments to ensure safety and wellbeing of guests, state news agency WAM reported on Thursday. The guidelines released by the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority have been prepared in collaboration with other relevant authorities, and is in line with the partial lifting of movement restrictions, as well as to allow some essential economic activities to reopen, including the hospitality sector. The manual consists of 21 main articles addressing physical distancing measures, cleaning and sanitization of guest rooms; health checks of hotel staff and guests; hygiene protocols; in addition to regulations on operations of restaurants, cafes, swimming pools, beaches, health clubs and other utilities of these establishments. As per the advisories, all hotel staff shall be subjected to COVDI-19 testing before reopening, and will be re-examined every 15 days. Infrared temperature scanners will be provided along with thermal cameras, with the staff's body temperatures checked multiple times per day. Any guest or staff member exhibiting symptoms of any respiratory disease will be denied access to the hotels. According to the manual, it is incumbent on all hotel establishments to dedicate isolation rooms near their main entrances where any guests exhibiting virus symptoms to be isolated immediately. In pursuance of these measures, any guest may use his/her room only 24 hours after the departure of the last guest using the same room. Restaurants, cafes, gym halls, and swimming pools will have a predetermined cap on capacity. All users of these facilities must have their temperatures checked before entry. Restaurants and cafes will operate from 6.00 a.m. till 9.00 pm, with a maximum of four people allowed per table. Tables must be distanced 2.5 m apart while all food contact equipment, surfaces and utensils to adhere to deep sanitization prior to food preparation for the public and after each use. All swimming pools and beaches are to be sanitized regularly, and signage stressing physical distancing will be required. Beaches must be divided into sections with maximum capacity to avoid overcrowding. Some utilities, including health resorts, kids' areas and prayer rooms, will remain closed to maintain public safety. The advisory will be circulated among all relevant departments to ensure abidance by measures. In addition, local departments in each emirate may develop individual additional guidelines as necessity arises in line with the advisory's mandates. Finally, inspection visits will be conducted regularly to ensure the hotels' abidance by these guidelines and legal action will be taken against violators.
