Safeguarding health of all
MANAMA: Indoor gyms, swimming pools and sports halls will be closed for two weeks starting tomorrow, it was announced.
The Health Ministry also said that 70 per cent of employees in all government entities and institutions will work from home for two weeks.
All social gatherings or private functions held at home, and private locations, with more than 30 people have also been banned until February 20.
The new measures are being implemented in support of national efforts to mitigate the spread of Covid-19 and safeguard the health of all, and come following a spike in coronavirus infection rates over the past few days.
The announcement was made following recommendations by the National Taskforce for Combating the Coronavirus (Covid-19), chaired by Supreme Council of Health chairman Lieutenant General Dr Shaikh Mohammed bin Abdulla Al Khalifa.
“There will be a temporary closure of indoor gyms, sports halls and swimming pools while outdoor exercising for gyms and sports halls may continue with a maximum of 30 individuals,” said a ministry statement last night.
“There will be a temporary suspension of indoor exercise classes.”
It also announced that all social gatherings or private events held at home or private locations with more than 30 people have been prohibited.
Bahrain has registered a steady increase in the daily number of coronavirus cases over the past few weeks with the new Covid-19 variant found among active cases in Bahrain.
The GDN reported on January 26 that holding special events and activities will be allowed again starting February 2.
Regulatory decisions to this effect were published in the Official Gazette and implementation will be subject to continuous evaluations, according to the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA).
Events for more than 30 people will require a special licence issued by the BTEA through a special service launched on its website and the move has been made in co-ordination with the ministries of Health, Interior and Industry, Commerce and Tourism.
It will also be mandatory for such events, whether held indoors or outdoors, to have a nurse present along with Covid-19 negative test certificates – valid for 48 hours – to be submitted for all those attending.
Indoor dining in restaurants and cafes – which reopened on October 24 last year – as well as attendance in all schools have also been suspended until February 21 as efforts are stepped up to contain the spread of the pandemic.
All schools, private and public higher education institutes, nurseries and kindergartens, government rehabilitation centres as well as private training institutes will continue with distance learning.
The task force highlighted that these measures will further strengthen national efforts to mitigate the spread of Covid-19 and safeguard the health of the kingdom’s community.
The task force also reiterated that the health of all citizens and residents remains the kingdom’s top priority, adding that the responsibility is held by each member of society to ensure national mitigation efforts are implemented and understand the risks associated with complacency.
The task force further highlighted the importance of vigilantly following all precautionary and social distancing measures, stressing that legal action will be taken against individuals or facilities violating the decisions and measures issued by the taskforce and relevant authorities.
The task force said relevant decisions on sector activities will be reviewed periodically according to the latest Covid-19 developments and statistics, in order to ensure the health and safety of all.
Source: https://www.gdnonline.com/Details/935080/Safeguarding-health-of-all
