UAE permits 24-hour opening for supermarkets and pharmacies, but limits capacity

New measures look to enforce the social distancing of two metres between customers at retail outlets

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UAE permits 24-hour opening for supermarkets and pharmacies, but limits capacity

The UAE’s Ministry of Health and Prevention and the National Emergency and Crisis and Disasters Management Authority has outlined new measures to help enforce social distancing in retail outlets across the country.

Food retail outlets, including cooperative societies, grocery stores, supermarkets and pharmacies are now permitted to remain open 24 hours a day, but must limit their capacity to 30 percent in order to ensure customers stay apart the minimum recommended physical distance of two metres.

The measures, the ministries said, are taken to contain the spread of Covid-19.

“All bodies concerned have to abide by the preventive and precautionary measures taken by the state’s competent bodies to ensure public safety and people’s well-being,” said the two authorities in their joint statement.

The announcement comes further to the statement issued previously by the two authorities on the closure of all commercial centres, shopping malls and open fish, vegetables and meat markets with the exception of food retail outlets, including cooperative societies, grocery stores, supermarkets and pharmacies for two weeks, with the decision to remain subject to further review and reassessment. More

By Staff arabianbusiness.com