Kuwait govt adopts multi-faceted measures to curb COVID-19 spread
Curfew extended, food delivery allowed during Ramadan
KUWAIT: Kuwait’s government Monday adopted multi-faceted measures aimed at curbing the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) and taking action against people who violated the curfew and home quarantine. During a meeting chaired by His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, the cabinet assigned Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) and affiliate companies to coordinate with Ministry of
Health to prepare quarantine facilities in North Ritqa and South KIPC to be used by the Ministry of Health (MoH) as soon as possible. It assigned MoH to rapidly coordinate with Ministries of Interior and Finance to boost strategic stocks of medicine and medical equipment to confront coronavirus, Deputy Premier, Minister of Interior and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Anas Al-Saleh said in a statement.
Holiday extended
The public and private sectors’ holiday will be extended from April 26 until May 28, and work will resume on Sunday, May 31, said Saleh. The cabinet assigned the Ministry of Social Affairs to coordinate with Union of Cooperative Societies to remove all obstacles hindering the build-up of a strategic stock enough for six months. The Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI) shall coordinate with Foreign Ministry, Custom Directorate, Kuwait Ports Authority and Public Authority for Agriculture and Fish Resources to arrange imports of food through sea ports and border crossings. The cabinet, which approved MoH’s home quarantine regulations, assigned Kuwait Municipality to make sure food stores abide by health regulations. The ministers extended the curfew hours to start from 4:00 pm until 8:00 am, but allowed restaurants and food stores to make home deliveries from 5:00 pm until 1:00 am. They assigned Ministries of Interior and Information to name and shame people who violated home quarantine and curfew in
media, newspapers and social media.
Masks’ production
The cabinet assigned Kuwait National Fund for Small and Medium Enterprise Development to take appropriate measures to produce fabric-made masks to meet growing needs of people and citizens being repatriated. The cabinet also decided to continue payment of support wages for citizens working in the private sector even if they did not update their working status or were abroad. Meanwhile, the cabinet expressed gratitude for His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah for addressing the nation on the first day of repatriation of citizens. His Highness the Amir urged the citizens to fully comply with health instructions during the time they spent in quarantine. His Highness the Amir also thanked all those working at the frontlines for their dedication. The cabinet, said Saleh, would comply with His Highness the Amir’s instructions for the sake of the well-being of citizens. The government, in the meantime, mourned former Minister Jassem Khaled Al-Marzouq and paid tribute to his service. It strongly condemned a shooting attack in Nova Scotia, Canada, which killed a number of people, and asserted Kuwait’s rejection to these criminal attacks. — KUNA