Saudi Arabia swoops on COVID-19 violators

Cairo: Saudi authorities have stepped up a crackdown on businesses breaking rules in place to limit the spread of the new coronavirus, as the kingdom is going ahead with a plan for gradual return to normal life.

The municipal authorities in Jeddah in western Saudi Arabia have closed down 71 stores, including restaurants and grocery shops over the past two days for failing to observe precautions to fight the virus, Saudi online newspaper Sabq reported, citing a local official.

“These stores were monitored by municipal inspectors during oversight tours to ensure compliance with precautionary measures. They found out that these businesses had not abided by these measures. They were closed for fear of an outbreak of the coronavirus,” Undersecretary of the city’s municipalities Mohammad Bin Ebrahim said.

He vowed continuation of inspection campaigns to ensure compliance with the anti-virus precautions that include checking temperatures of employees and shoppers, social distancing abidance as well as availability of sterilisers and protective face masks. Operators of malls and other stores are also obliged to display posters providing guidelines on hygiene rules.

“These field tours are part of constant efforts covering all shopping centres, restaurants and delivery services to make sure that all these establishments apply precautionary measures,” Ebrahim added.

A ban is still in place on other activities that do not provide physical distancing such as barber shops, beauty salons, recreational facilities, cinema and health clubs, he added.

Saudi Arabia has recently relaxed some virus-related restrictions. Starting from Sunday, movement is allowed daily from 6am (7am UAE time) until 8pm across the kingdom, except in the holy city of Mecca. Also, mosques, except in Mecca, are open again for group prayers, as all employees were allowed back to their workplaces.