200321 Sterilisation
Dubai Municipality staff sterilise the streets of the city. Image Credit: Irish Eden Belleza/Gulf News

Abu Dhabi: A three-day national sterilisation programme will be carried out to sanitise all public facilities, streets, public transportation and metro service, as a precautionary measure to contain the spread of coronavirus.

The sterilisation plan, which will start from 8pm on Thursday until 6am Sunday, will be carried out by the Ministry of Health and Prevention and the Ministry of Interior in coordination with all relevant federal and local entities.

Throughout the sterilisation period, traffic and public movement will be restricted, and public transport and metro services suspended.

Read more

The ministries of health and interior appealed to the public to stay at home during the sterilisation period and not to leave their homes except to buy food, basic essentials and medicines. Only those who work in vital sectors, such as energy, telecommunications, health, security and police sectors, should leave their homes.

The ministries also allow those who work in military, postal, pharmaceutical, water and food, airport and aviation and passport sectors to leave their homes.

Authorities will verify labour cards and IDs of those who leave their homes during the sterilisation period to make sure they work in these sectors.