Kuwait City: As two weeks have passed since Kuwait entered a 12-hour partial curfew, several lawmakers have called on the government to end the curfew immediately as it is harming people’s lives and the economy.
MP Hasan Jowhar directed a question to the Minister of Health stating, “is it possible that the number of cases are increasing although the partial curfew is in place?” He added, “does the virus only spread at night?”
Since March 7, Kuwait enforced a partial curfew starting from 5:00pm to 5:00am daily for a duration of one month. Due to the partial curfew, all businesses, shops and malls are required to close early thus reducing working hours. Many businesses owners and economists highlighted that the curfew has further deepened the financial losses and several businesses will likely close down if the curfew was to be extended.
Realistic plan
Jowhar called on both the Ministry of Health to rely on accurate and transparent information regarding the number of cases, deaths due to COVID-19 and the vaccination process, as well as the Ministry of Education to put forth a comprehensive and realistic plan for the reopening of schools.
MP Khalil Al Saleh stated that the Ministry of Health should exempt those that have received both doses of the vaccine from institutional quarantine and also demanded that the government should cover the cost of hotel quarantine for citizens arriving from abroad.
A month ago, Kuwait introduced new health measures including requiring all passengers arriving in Kuwait to quarantine for seven-days in a hotel at their own expense.
A couple of MPs, including Jowhar, have publicly stated that they will be filing a motion to interrogate the Minister of Health, Dr. Basel Al Sabah, over “his mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic”.
