Manama, May 5 (BNA): His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister, today chaired a meeting of the Government’s Executive Committee, held remotely.
HRH the Crown Prince highlighted that ongoing compliance with health orders during the holy month of Ramadan demonstrates the strong sense of solidarity and collective COVID-19 awareness among the Kingdom’s citizens and residents, adding that both concepts underpin the success of all virus mitigation efforts and must continue in order to safeguard the health of all.
His Royal Highness went on to note that the holy month provides an opportunity to reflect on shared values that strengthen social cohesion and create a common purpose against COVID-19.
Following consideration of a report submitted by the National Medical Task Force to Combat the Coronavirus, headed by HE Lieutenant-General Dr. Shaikh Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, Chairman of the Supreme Council of Health, the following decisions were taken, effective from 7 May 2020:
Commercial and industrial businesses providing goods or services directly to customers can resume usual operations, provided that the following conditions are met:
- All employees and customers are required to wear face masks inside the premises
- To reduce the number of individuals across the facilities at any one time, limiting overcrowding, and ensuring social distancing guidelines are followed
- Stores and facilities are to be regularly and thoroughly disinfected, in accordance with the Ministry of Health’s guidelines
- Appropriately spaced floor markings for queueing at the entrance of the store are placed, to maintain social distancing guidelines issued by the Ministry of HealthAdditionally, the Government Executive Committee directed the private sector to continue to abide by the following guidelines set by authorities concerned with mitigating the spread of COVID-19:
– Encourage remote working where possible
– Minimise the number of employees present in an office at any one time, and to ensure social distancing guidelines are observed
– Reduce the number of employees using transportation services provided by the employer
- Movie theatres are to remain closed
- All commercial sports gymnasiums, fitness studios, swimming pools, and centres for recreational activities are to remain closed
- Restaurants, tourist facilities and places serving food are to remain limited to delivery and take-out only
- Shisha cafes are to remain closed and limited to delivery and take-out of food only
- Salons are to remain closed
- All non-essential medical services provided by private health clinics are to remain suspended
- Grocery stores will continue to designate the first hour of operation for the elderly as well as pregnant women to reduce their interaction with others
- Public gatherings are to remain limited to 5 individuals or fewer. Individuals are encouraged to stay at home as much as possible, and to only leave home when absolutely necessary
- Citizens and residents are obliged to wear face masks when in public.
The Executive Committee underlined that the well-being of citizens and residents remains at the heart of all preventive measures introduced to mitigate the spread of the virus.
