COVID-19: Saudi Arabia’s shisha cafes to resume service from Monday

Cairo: Saudi authorities have said that shisha and tobacco services will resume at cafes starting Monday, with immunised customers only to be allowed into these places.

The Ministry of Municipal and Village Affairs has issued precautionary rules to serve the shisha and tobacco, limiting the services to immunised customers, including those who have been vaccinated against COVID-19 with one or two doses, or the recovered people, according to their status shown via the health app Tawakkalna.

The rules also make it obligatory for all workers at cafes to have received the jabs or having recovered from the disease. Non-immunised workers must show a negative PCR test result every seven days with the testing conducted at the expense of the establishment.

The shisha must be served in open areas and distancing of at least three metres must be ensured between tables.

According to the related protocols, only shishas with disposable hoses must be served and the number of persons sitting at the same table must not exceed five.

Café operators are, meanwhile, required to abide by the physical distancing rule and place distancing signs on the ground in the toilet and teller areas.

Saudi Arabia initiated mass vaccinations against COVID-10 on December 17. Over 11 million doses have since been administered across the kingdom, according to the Health Ministry. Authorities have offered the vaccination to citizens and foreign residents amid a stepped-up inoculation campaign.