Bahrain’s non-essential sectors will be closed for two weeks to stop Covid 19 spread

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Tough new measures will be implemented starting tonight in a bid to stop the coronavirus (COVID-19) spread in the Kingdom of Bahrain which is witnessing record infection rates and deaths in recent weeks.

Non-essential sectors will be temporarily closed and some commercial activities restricted for two weeks. The closures will come into effect starting from 23:59 pm today and run until 23:59 pm on 10 June.

Set to be closed are the following: all shopping malls, cinemas, restaurants, coffee shops, salons, barbershops, spas, private gyms, recreational halls and swimming pools. All services in restaurants will be limited to delivery only.

However, essential sectors such as hypermarkets, supermarkets, cold stores, groceries, fish shops, bakery, gas stations, private hospital private hospitals, banks and ATMs will remain open. The public sector will allow 70% of employees to work remotely.

In-person attendance at government and private schools, educational and training institutions is suspended, and remote learning will continue. Private gatherings, as well as sports activities, are prohibited. No event or conference should also be held during this period.

All these measures are part of a report submitted by the National Medical Taskforce for Combating the Coronavirus (COVID-19), headed by Lieutenant-General Dr Shaikh Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, Chairman of the Supreme Council of Health, to minimise the COVID-19 transmission.

The following was also decided: expand the capacity of daily vaccinations; increase the use of rapid COVID-19 tests as a tool to identify existing cases; and update precautionary protocols for existing cases and those in contact with active cases. On Monday, Bahrain recorded 28 deaths, the highest figure since the pandemic began last year.

It has also been registering an increase in daily cases with the highest ever of 3,177 cases reported on Sunday