RIYADH SAYS IT WILL EASE MEASURES BEGINNING THIS WEEK
▶ Saudi Arabia’s health minister urged the public to remain vigilant
Saudi Arabia will ease curbs on movement and travel this week, more than two months after stringent measures were introduced to slow the spread of Covid-19.
Restrictions will be lifted in three phases, the state news agency reported yesterday, ending on June 21, except in Makkah, where some measures will remain in place.
The Islamic Affairs Ministry said mosques in the kingdom will open for Friday prayers for the first time in weeks.
They will open 20 minutes before Friday prayers and should close 20 minutes after they finish, the ministry said. Worshippers should observe a two-metre distance from one another and religious lessons will remain suspended.
The Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages – which attract millions of travellers from around the world – will also remain suspended.
Saudi Minister of Health Tawfiq Al Rabiah said on Monday that mass testing would be expanded and hospital capacity for critical care reviewed. “We move from one stage to another based on a careful health assessment, which gives us space to adjust the strategy and review the course whenever the need arises,” Dr Al Rabiah said.
He said that returning to normal “requires a high degree of responsibility and attention on the part of all us, and the need to follow health guidelines”
“The early measures taken by the kingdom helped us take control of the pandemic,” he said. “People have shown a tremendous sense of responsibility in practising social distancing.”
Dr Al Rabiah said people should cover their noses and mouths when they leave the house.
He said people’s commitment to stringent social distancing played a big part in reducing the country’s mortality rate from Covid-19, which he said was one of the lowest in the world. He praised Saudi scientists who helped to contain the spread of the virus. From Sunday, free movement will be allowed between 6am and 8pm, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Domestic flights will resume, but a ban on international flights will remain in place. Public and private-sector employees will soon be allowed to return to their offices. Social gatherings of more than 50 people – including weddings and funerals – remain prohibited. Citizens must continue to wear masks in public and practise good hygiene and social distancing measures after June 21.
The kingdom had recorded 76,726 cases of Covid-19 as of yesterday.
With 1,931 new cases, the number of daily cases dropped below 2,000 for the first time since April 13. Officials said almost 1,000 more people recovered from Covid-19 than became ill, with 2,782 recoveries in the preceding 24 hours.
Total recoveries stand at 48,450. Authorities said 12 more people had died of coronavirus, bringing the total to 411.
Citizens must continue to wear masks in public and practise good hygiene and social distancing measures after June 21