Bahrain health ministry calls to maintain social distancing for two more months

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com   

Social distancing measures in commercial and industrial stores in the Kingdom should continue for another two more months, the Health Minister announced yesterday.

Citizens and residents should continue “social distancing measures for two more months until 28 February 2021 to help Bahrain contain the deadly outbreak,” Faeqa bint Saeed Al Saleh said.

The move is as per a decision of the Coordinating Committee headed by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, regarding the health conditions and procedures that must be followed in commercial and industrial shops to contain and prevent the spread of the novel Coronavirus (19 - COVID).

The ministry said it was extending Decision No. 62 of 2020 to continue the social distancing measures for two months.

The ministry also said it is extending the suspension of health service fees for foreigners in health centres, amounting to BD7 for another two months. The suspension is as per decision No. (63) of 2020 regarding stopping the collection of fees for general medical consultations for non-Bahrainis.

The ministry stressed the importance of adhering to the precautionary measures and instructions issued by the concerned authorities at all times and places. The ministry also called on all to wear face masks and avoid gatherings - especially New Year celebrations- to limit the spread of the virus.

“Following preventive measures strictly is necessary to achieve the desired goal,” the ministry said urging all to adhere to preventive measures to preserve public health. On the measures to be followed by shops, the ministry said shops should allocate its first hours to the elderly and pregnant woman, and should not allow people exceeding its capacity. “Shop keepers should place signs at the entrance of the shops indicating the maximum number of people permitted inside,” the minister said.

Other requirements include placing hand sanitisers at the entry and exit points for shop-goers to sterilise their hands before and after shopping. Entry should be denied to all those who do not wear protective face masks.

The ministry also calls for commercial and industrial shops to properly activate workers ’dressing rooms and provide personal protective equipment for all workers, including masks, gloves, sterilisers, hand and surface disinfectants, and necessary cleaning materials and tools adequately.

Workers should leave a distance of one meter between them, customers or visitors to the shop. Health status of workers should be checked daily, which includes measuring their body temperature before entering work sites, as well as that of customers.

The ministry emphasised the need to sterilise hands at every stage of work before preparing food, and after touching raw meat and poultry, after using the bathroom, after touching the mouth or nose, and before and after handling foodstuffs to customers.

The ministry also calls for cleaning and sterilising shopping carts before and after use by customers, as well as sterilise surfaces constantly before, after and during work.