Making things clear…

TDT | Manama

The Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Tourism (MOIC) has released a list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) related to the temporary closure of certain non-essential businesses across the Kingdom as part of the fight against the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

All kinds of clarifications have been made on issues such as online sales, deliveries and the ability of various businesses to operate as usual, among other things. On Thursday night, commercial stores across the Kingdom closed up shop in compliance with government directives to combat COVID-19.

These stores will remain closed until April 9, after which they will re-open until April 23. Only a handful of essential businesses have been allowed to stay open, as approved by the MOIC.

These include hypermarkets, supermarkets, cold stores, grocery stores, butcher shops and fish shops; bakeries; natural gas-fuelling stations and liquid-fuelling stations; hospitals, medical centres, pharmacies, and optical centres; banks and currency exchange bureaus; corporate administration offices of companies and organizations that conduct activities without direct engagement with customers; businesses that import, export and distribute goods; automotive garages and repair shops; businesses operating in the construction and maintenance industry; and manufacturers. For the full list of FAQs and the ministry’s replies, visit its official website on www.moic. gov.bh or its official accounts on social media.

Some of the answers to the FAQs include:

l stores can practice commercial activities not referred to in the exceptions mentioned, provided that they are closed and do not receive customers. The sale of goods and services can be done solely by electronic means and social media, with the delivery of products purchased.

l Hotels can operate provided that food is not served in their restaurants and only in the rooms of guests or for external orders and deliveries.

l Hypermarket is allowed to open the store and all the floors in it as long as the branches are within the limits of the hypermarket, and not in the close or opposite shops if they are in a commercial complex.  

l Veterinary clinics can operate normally.

l Carpentry, welding, aluminum and upholstery workshops can operate normally, but installation in populated sites is not permitted.

l Laundry business can operate provided that work is done inside the laundry without receiving customers, and only deliveries of orders can be done.

l Work at Batelco, Zain and STC operators is permitted but only inside offices and without receiving customers. Services can be provided to clients and customers by electronic means and social media.

l Only car wash and polish shops with multiple services can operate, such as those that include car maintenance and washing together. Stores that are limited to washing and polishing must remain closed, except for stores that provide mobile service with adherence to the rules and procedures issued by the Ministry of Health, especially social distancing.

l Building and construction materials stores can operate normally by selling materials, while building and construction workers can continue to work in sites under construction but work on populated sites is not permitted.

l Car maintenance shops and auto and motorcycle parts stores can normally carry out their activities in the after-sales service, provided that they abide by the rules and procedures issued by the Ministry of Health, especially social distancing.

l Men’s and women’s salons as well as sports training halls are not allowed to provide services with the customer anywhere.

l On April 9, after 7 pm, business can be done normally unless new decisions are issued.

l Offices of lawyers, engineers, administrative consultants, accountants and professional service providers can work within their offices without receiving customers.

l Insurance companies can continue to work via electronic means.

l Car rental businesses can only receive rented cars back according to the expiration of the rental agreement, while adhering to the rules and procedures issued by the Ministry of Health, especially social distancing.

l Mobile vehicles providing food and beverage services can operate through external sales and home delivery services. Gold and jewelry shops must remain closed during this period, although they can deliver orders to clients.

l Electronics repair shops can carry out their work inside their stores and communicate with customers by suitable means, with the possibility of receiving clients while adhering to the rules and procedures issued by the Ministry of Health, especially social distancing.

l The administrative offices of audit firms can remain open without receiving clients, while auditors may go to a customer’s office to audit accounts, with communication being done through available electronic means.

l Tailoring shops can carry out their activities inside the store without receiving customers and can only deliver orders.

l Car, motorcycle, furniture and ceramics showrooms are not allowed to open or receive clients