The Holy month of Ramadan being just less than a month away, the UAE authorities have announced several Covid-19 safety measures in order to avoid social gatherings that may lead to spread of the pandemic.
Apart from following the usual Covid precautionary measures, Dr. Seif Al Dhaheri, the spokesperson for National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA) has announced the following guidelines:
Taraweeh prayers:
The special prayers offered during Ramadan will be hosted across the Mosques in the country. However, the maximum duration of the Taraweeh and Isha prayer (which precedes Taraweeh prayer) has been capped at 30 minutes.
Other new rules:
- Avoid social gatherings with family and friends during Iftar
- Avoid distribution and exchange of meals between homes & families.
- Meals can be shared only between members of the same family living in the same house.
- Iftar tents have been banned, irrespective of whether they are family or institutional.
- No Iftar meals allowed within Mosques.
- Restaurants have been barred from distribution of Iftar meals whether within or outside the premises.
- However, distribution of Iftar meals is permitted only at labour housing complexes on direct coordination with the management, but, strict social distancing is mandatory.
As told by the authorities, these measures are subject to change anytime, based on global and local health situation.
Meanwhile, the elderly and those with chronic diseases have been advised to stay away from gatherings of any kind to ensure safety. People have been advised to adhere to the Covid-19 measures, as there would be intensive inspection campaigns during the holy month and legal action would be taken against all violators.
