Dubai Economy issues fines for 48 violations of COVID-19 guidelines

Dubai: Field inspections being conducted by Dubai Economy across open markets and commercial establishments over Monday and Tuesday this week led to 48 fines due to violations of COVID-19 precautionary guidelines. The violations were mostly related to protocols for wearing face masks and physical distancing, and non-compliance with permitted working hours in open markets and shopping malls.

The inspection teams fined 39 restaurants and cafés for allowing dine-in beyond permitted hours. Various outlets including a tyre shop, restaurant, coffee shop, cafeteria, hair salon, print and copy centre, mobile phones shop, tailoring shop, fitness centre and a general trading outlet were fined for failure to comply with wearing masks. The violations were detected in Al Rigga, Musalla, Al Murar, Ayal Nasir, Al Nahda, Al Muteena, Al Qusais, Al Khabeesi, Hor Al Anz, Muraqqabat, Karama, Al Mamzar, Al Hamriya, Al Badaa, Abu Hail, Al Rafaa, Zabeel, Souq Al Kabeer and across different shopping malls. Two shopping mall outlets were warned for not displaying social distancing stickers.

Dubai Economy said it will continue conducting inspections along with its various partners with a special focus on shopping malls and locations that might see overcrowding. Dubai Economy stressed that it is following a zero-tolerance policy on violations identified by its inspectors or reported by the public.

Dubai Economy directed traders to strictly adhere to precautionary measures and called on the public to report any violations or non-compliance either on the Dubai Consumer App available on Apple, Google and Huawei stores, the number 600545555, or via the consumer rights website.