Picture used for illustrative purpose only.

Emad Eddin Khalil, Staff Reporter

The UAE government on Tuesday updated the protocol for the return of prayer in mosques and chapels, in coordination with the General Authority for Islamic Affairs and Endowments (GAIAE).

Dr Saif Al Dhaheri, the official spokesman for the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA) said the UAE is still on the right track towards recovery, thanks to the great efforts made by all government and private institutions, as the approach adopted by the UAE government aims at securing safe life and a secure future for all.

Al Dhaheri added, during a media briefing in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday that the health sector is continuing doing great efforts to reach community immunity by providing vaccines for those who are eligible, as 98.66% of the population received the first dose of the vaccine, while 88.57% received the two doses.

He added, "The updated protocol in regard with the Corona virus precautionary measures includes opening the chapels of the outer roads, ablution places, washing rooms and women's chapels, in addition to opening ablution basins, with leaving an empty basin between a basin and the other.

The updated protocol also requires all workers for mosques and chapels to print and paste on walls the necessary instructions in ablution places for precautionary measures in several languages, including Arabic, English and Urdu.

Tissues must also be re-provided through electronic devices, and direct contact in places of ablution should be avoided, he affirmed.

According to Dhaheri, the protocol also includes the periodically cleaning, disinfecting and sterilizing ablution places and washing rooms before each prayer, with the application of physical distance of one and a half meters between worshippers.

Al Dhaheri indicated that mosques will be closed immediately after prayer and that sitting, With adherence to all precautionary and preventive measures in place, and i’tikaf will not be allowed.

There is a necessity of providing cleaners all the time in these places. Sterilization tools must be provided at the ways out of ablution places, where all worshippers must sterilize hands after ablution.

Al Dhaheri indicated that there is coordination with the cleaning companies  to sterilize ablution places and washing rooms before each prayer.

As for imams and cleaners, they must take the vaccine or have a periodic PCR test every 14 days with the adoption of the Al Hosn app, in addition to the need to report when feeling respiratory symptoms or fever and avoid coming to the mosque.