UAE COVID-19 sterilisation drive from 10pm to 6am from Saturday

The UAE will shorten from Saturday by two hours a nightly curfew meant to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, the country's state news agency said on Friday.

The curfew, officially called "the National Sterilisation Programme," will run from 10pm to 6am as of Saturday.

It currently starts at 8:00pm and ends at 6am.

The country has reported a total of 33,170 cases and 260 deaths from the disease.

The National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA) and the Ministries of Interior and Health Authority stressed the necessity of the stores adhering to the health and safety procedures and the precautionary guidelines stipulated, taking into account that the percentage of shoppers does not exceed 30% of the total capacity, while maintaining the safe distance of 2 metres according to the principle of social distance.

NCEMA said, “We call on all members of society to fully comply with this decision in the specified time period, which seeks to benefit the nation, the citizen, residents, and community safety, and adhere to all relevant procedures followed, not to go out except to purchase food and drug needs or for health necessity.

The decision comes within the framework of facilitating the citizens and residents and giving them a greater opportunity to spend their necessary needs and do the follow-up and attention required by the critical cases, in addition to assisting economic activity in the gradual recovery and revitalisation of the commercial movement and not disrupting the important basic sectors of the state.

NCEMA said, “We emphasise preventing public gatherings, and the necessity of avoiding family visits to ensure the health and safety of all, commitment to social spacing, wearing masks and gloves when leaving the house and ensuring compliance with all preventive measures and public health and safety measures.”