The photo has been used for illustrative purposes.

Dubai’s Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management, in coordination with the Command and Control Centre for Combating COVID-19, announced the extension of the sterilisation programme to 24 hours a day across all areas and communities in the emirate to protect the health and safety of the community. The Committee also announced intensified restrictions on the movement of people and vehicles.

The measures will be effective from 8.00 pm on Saturday, 4 April, 2020 for a period of two weeks, subject to renewal. In addition, extensive medical tests will be conducted across densely populated areas of Dubai to ensure members of the community are free from COVID-19 infection.

The intensified measures require everyone to stay at home during this period. Food retail outlets, such as Union cooperative stores and supermarkets, as well as pharmacies and food and medicine deliveries are allowed to operate as usual.

The Committee said the measures, effective from today (Saturday), will be implemented in cooperation with other entities working to combat the pandemic, including the Command and Control Centre for Combating COVID-19, to ensure the highest levels of protection and prevention. The Committee directed all members of the community to comply with the new measures and cautioned that anyone found violating the instructions will face legal action.

Individuals will not be allowed to leave the house, except for essential purposes or if they are working in vital sectors exempted from the restrictions. These measures have been put in place to ensure people undertake trips outside the home in a planned and organised way.

Exceptions from restrictions for individuals (General Public)

Individuals are permitted to leave home only for essential purposes as outlined below. All people leaving home should wear a mask, gloves and ensure they keep a safe distance from others.

Members of the public are allowed to go out for:

•       Essential needs such as buying food from food supply outlets (Union Cooperative stores, supermarkets and groceries); only one family member is permitted to leave the house for this purpose.

•       Buying medicines / getting medical assistance from healthcare service providers like hospitals, clinics and pharmacies

•       COVID-19 tests

Employees permitted to leave the house:

-        Employees working in the below vital sectors are exempted from restrictions and permitted to leave their house at any time of the day to commute to work.

VITAL SECTORS exempted from restrictions (24 hours a day):

-        Healthcare services (Hospitals, clinics and pharmacies)

-        Food supply outlets (Union Cooperative outlets, supermarkets, groceries)

-        Delivery services (Food and medicine)

-        Restaurants (operations limited to home deliveries only)

-        Manufacturers of medicines and providers of healthcare and medical supplies

-        Industrial sector (only vital industries)

-        Industrial supply chain for services and basic commodities

-        Water and electricity sector, petrol and gas stations and district cooling services

-        Telecommunications sector

-        Media sector

-        Airports, airlines, ports, shipping

-        Customs duty and border crossings

-        Public and private security services

-        Municipality services and public and private service providers involved in garbage collection, sewage management and general cleaning and sanitation

-        Private and government sector organisations involved in combating the coronavirus (COVID-19).

-        Public transport (buses and taxis only; metro and tram services will be suspended)

-        Construction sector, subject to obtaining a permit from Dubai Municipality and the Permanent Committee for Labour Affairs.

SUPPORT SECTORS – (Employees working in these sectors are permitted to commute to work between 8.00 am and 2.00 pm)

-        Banking and financial services (banks and exchange centres)

-        Social welfare services.

-        Laundry services (for permitted outlets)

-        Maintenance services

Dubai’s Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management stressed that all members of the community are strictly required to adhere to these guidelines to safeguard the health and wellbeing of the community. Anyone violating the restrictions will face stringent legal action. The compliance of all people is vital to the success of measures to combat the virus and ensure the highest levels of protection.