DUBAI — Dubai announced on Monday a new set of precautionary measures aimed at safeguarding the community from the coronavirus pandemic. The new measures, which will come into force on Tuesday (Feb. 2) and will continue until the end of the month, were approved during a meeting of Dubai's Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management headed by Sheikh Mansour bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Monday, the UAE's official news agency WAM reported. During the meeting, which was held under the directives of Dubai's ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who is also the vice president and prime minister of the UAE, the committee noted that the new decisions are part of a constant evaluation of the evolving COVID-19 situation to ensure all precautionary measures are updated and implemented in line with local, regional and international developments. The measures seek to further enhance efforts to combat COVID-19 and protect the health and safety of all citizens, residents, and visitors. Daily reports have shown a marked increase in the number of violations of precautionary measures, the committee added. The health and wellbeing of the community remain the highest priorities for the leadership, especially in these exceptional circumstances, the Committee stressed, noting that the full cooperation of both institutions and community members is crucial to ensure effective implementation of Dubai's strategy to curb COVID-19. The new precautionary measures announced by the committee include the following: 1. Audience capacity of seated indoor venues, including cinemas as well as entertainment and sports venues to be reduced to 50 percent of maximum capacity; enhanced precautionary measures will be stringently enforced. 2. Hotel establishments will be required to operate at 70 percent of total capacity; new bookings should comply with the new capacity limit. 3. The number of guests allowed inside swimming pools and private beaches in hotels will be limited to 70 percent of the total capacity. 4. Shopping malls will operate at a reduced capacity of 70 percent 5. Restaurants and cafes will be required to close by 1.00 a.m. They will also not be allowed to organize any entertainment activities on their premises. 6. Pubs/bars will be closed. Intensified monitoring and inspection campaigns will be conducted to ensure strict compliance with precautionary measures and safety protocols including physical distancing and wearing of facemasks. The committee stressed that the new decisions have been made in response to the current COVID-19 situation. The commitment of the public in fully complying with precautionary measures and guidelines of authorities is critical to counter the repercussions of the pandemic on public health, the economy, and society. The committee also encouraged members of the community to report any violations of COVID-19 precautionary measures by individuals or establishments. Enforcing preventive protocols and observing health and safety guidelines remains the most effective method to combating the virus. All individuals must ensure they abide by precautionary measures circulated in the media to protect themselves, their families and friends, and the community as a whole, the committee stated. The committee said penalties will be strictly imposed on anyone found posing a risk to public health by deliberately disregarding preventive measures or not observing them properly. Inspections will be intensified to ensure compliance with precautionary measures, which continue to be crucial in overcoming the pandemic and protecting the community, especially the most vulnerable sections.
