Health Ministry updates Covid-19 alert system

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

The Ministry of Health has issued new guidelines for containing and preventing the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. The new guidelines define the preventive measures to be followed at the green, yellow, orange and red levels of the COVID-19 alert system modelled on the traffic lights system.

Accordingly, live shows and buffets are allowed at the green level for events and conferences. The new system also ditches the requirement to check temperature and record data of non-vaccinated people upon entering a facility and open waiting areas.

It, however, maintains the need to wear masks in interior areas, continuing sterilisation procedures, and encourages pre-booking and electronic payments. The new guidelines also require staying at a level for at least a week before shifting to a lower level.

However, moving a level up does not require completing the specific period. Meaning, it’s possible to jump from green level to red level without going through yellow or orange levels. The updated mechanism also depends on the daily average number of cases in intensive care.

For Green level, the average daily number of ICU cases is 50 or less for 14 days. Light shifts to Yellow, when the daily average number of cases in intensive care is 101-200 for four days. Light will turn Red if the daily average number of cases in intensive care is 201 or more for three days.

The update also opens the doors of all massages, steam rooms and saunas. Violators will face a fine of no less than BD1,000 and not more than BD10,000 dinars, a jail term of up to three months or both.