Cafe gets BD3,000 fine for COVID protocol violations

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune – wwwnewsofbahrain.com

A Bahraini court yesterday fined a cafe and its directors BD2,000 and BD1,000, respectively, for flouting COVID-19 precautionary measures. 

The Public Health Directorate said the cafe failed to maintain required distance between tables, or conduct temperature checks of customers. 

The directorate also found that the cafe served sheesha to its customers and exceeded the allowed 50 per cent capacity at each of its tables. Authorities immediately shut the cafe. 

As per mandatory health measures, restaurants and coffee shops should check the temperatures of staff and customers using an infrared thermometer, while denying entry to those with a temperature of 37.5°C or higher. 

Public Prosecution referred the two accused to the Criminal Court, said the Chief Prosecutor of ministries and public institutions.

In a similar ruling, a Bahrain court on Thursday awarded 74 defendants jail terms of three months and above and fines between BD 1000 and BD2000 for flouting coronavirus precautionary measures. 

The court also ordered to deport an expatriate. 

Separately, the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Tourism shut 23 outlets for flouting precautionary measures. 

Meanwhile, officials assured that Inspection campaigns are continuing in full swing all across the Kingdom to detect COVID-19 violations to limit the spread of the deadly pandemic that has claimed over 350 lives in the Kingdom.

These campaigns aim at encouraging citizens and residents to wear masks properly, follow social distancing measures and other precautionary measures mandated by the coordinating committee. 

Authorities also guaranteed stringent actions against all those who fail to wear face masks.

Meanwhile, in an Al Amn Radio interview, the Acting Head of the Community Police of the Capital Governorate Police Directorate, Captain Sa’ad Nasser Al Hazani, highlighted several plans and programmes planned by his department to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

He said the multi-language awareness campaigns are for raising public awareness against the virus.

Al Hazani said the General Directorate had distributed 400 meals in Ramadan for those economically affected by the pandemic.