COVID-19: Kuwait to retain shisha ban until vaccine for virus is available
Coffee shop owners have staged protests against the ban
Cairo: Kuwaiti authorities are unlikely to lift an ongoing ban on serving shisha at cafes before vaccines against the coronavirus are made available, according to a media report.
“The decision to ban the shisha at coffee shops and restaurants is still in force and will not be revoked soon,” Al Rai newspaper quoted well-informed sources as saying.
The ban aims at protecting customers and attendants, according to the sources.
“While the health situation is reassuring, the return of this activity [serving the shisha] cannot be allowed soon. The Shisha return hinges on success of the anti-coronavirus vaccines being globally developed and starting the vaccination campaigns in the country,” one source.
A proposal to allow serving shisha according to certain health restrictions “cannot be trusted in implementation,” the source said.
“Society’s interests take precedence over individual interests,” the source added.
Earlier this month, owners of coffee shops in Kuwait had staged a protest against the ban on the shisha.
In August, the Kuwaiti government allowed reopening of cafes in the country after seven-month shutdowns but without serving the shisha as a precaution against the spread of COVID-19.