COVID-19: Saudi Arabia shuts down 329 Jeddah businesses for violating health protocols

Abu Dhabi: Saudi Arabia’s Jeddah Municipality has shut down 329 businesses, including 67 workshops, for violating measures put in place to stem the spread of coronavirus, a senior official said. The Undersecretary for Sub-Municipalities, Engineer Mohammed Al Mutairi, said inspection visits had been intensified to verify the businesses’ abidance by health and municipal requirements.

As per the Saudi protocols, businesses are required to provide staff with disinfectants and sanitisers and take the temperatures of both staff and customers at the entrances of shopping malls.

Other measures include sterilising shopping trolleys and baskets after each use, sanitising facilities and surfaces, and closing children’s play areas and fitting rooms in shopping malls and ready-wear outlets.

Any gathering of shoppers or workers inside or outside a shopping mall exceeding the numbers stipulated in precautionary measures attracts a penalty of 5,000 riyals for each person exceeding the stipulated numbers, but not exceeding 100,000 riyals.