Envoys briefed on Bahrain’s efforts to combat COVID-19

Manama

The Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dr Shaikha Rana bint Isa bin Daij Al Khalifa, has briefed the ambassadors accredited to Bahrain on the most important steps the Kingdom has so far taken to confront Coronavirus (COVID-19). Present at the meeting were Lt Col Dr Manaf Al Qahtani, Infectious Diseases Consultant and Microbiologist at the BDF Hospital and Member of the National Task Force for Combating COVID-19.

Dr Shaikha Rana outlined the important initiatives and precautionary steps taken by Bahrain since the outbreak of the virus in China to boost awareness among Bahraini citizens, both in the Kingdom and abroad, as well as residents. She spoke of the necessary prevention measures to avoid infection and curb the virus spread and talked about the most important action taken by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as part of the national campaign to combat COVID-19.

In this respect, she cited the ministry’s publication of educational materials and its notification of all citizens, both in the Kingdom and abroad, through its social media accounts, including Twitter and Instagram, and the accounts of Bahrain’s diplomatic missions abroad. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs Follow-up Office set up a round-the clock hotline (17227555) to respond to all public inquiries as well as hotlines at all the diplomatic missions abroad to ensure that all queries are answered and assistance provided at all times, Dr Shaikha Rana added.

Lt Col Al Qahtani briefed the diplomats on the time sequence of the medical and logistical decisions and measures taken by Bahrain to combat the virus. The National Task force for Combating COVID-19 followed the directives of the Executive Committee, chaired by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and  First Deputy Premier, who ordered the formation of a task force, headed by Chairman of the Supreme Council for Health, Shaikh Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, to tackle the situation, Lt Col Al Qahtani said.

The ambassadors expressed their thanks and appreciation to Bahrain for its considerable efforts. Meanwhile, an official source of the Saudi Ministry of Interior has stated that based on the keenness of the Kingdom’s government to support global efforts and international organisations, especially the World Health Organisation (WHO), to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), as an extension of its decision to suspend entry for the purposes of Umrah and visit of the Prophet’s Mosque temporarily from outside the Kingdom, its decision to suspend entry of tourist visas to people from countries where the spread of the novel coronavirus is dangerous and the suspension of the use of national identity cards for Saudi and GCC’s citizens to and from the Kingdom.

Based on the recommendations of the committee concerned to follow up the developments of the situation of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), it was decided to suspend Umrah temporarily for citizens and residents in the Kingdom, provided that this decision is reviewed continuously and the implementation of it stops whenever the reasons that called for it are negated.

According to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), this preventive decision is among precautionary measures that the Kingdom’s government has consistently taken to limit the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic and prevent its access to the Two Holy Mosques, which are witnessing a permanent and intense flow of human crowds, which makes the issue of securing these crowds of utmost importance. It also comes in line with the precautionary measures taken by Saudi authorities to prevent the spread of the virus in the Kingdom and to complement the efforts that have been taken, aiming at providing maximum protection for the safety of citizens and residents.