The city’s disinfection programme will now run 24 hours per day…

In a bid to curb the spread of Covid-19 coronavirus, Dubai has announced stricter measures for residents and citizens. For the next two weeks, the nightly disinfection programme will be increased to 24 hours per day.

Previously the programme ran from 8pm to 6am each night, and was due to conclude on April 5. The latest announcement from Dubai’s Supreme Committee of Crisis & Disaster Management has extended this to all day, every day for a renewable two weeks.

This means that from 8pm on Saturday April 4, people will only be allowed to leave their house for absolute essentials. This includes visiting the supermarket or pharmacy, however only one member of each household can leave, and masks and gloves must be worn at all times.

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Workers in vital sectors are exempt from the movement ban, but may be asked to show proof of their employment. Vital sectors include energy, telecommunications, health, education, security, law enforcement, military, postal service, shipping and logistics, medicines, water, food, civil aviation, airports, passports, government media and the service sector.

Residents are also permitted to leave their house to be tested for Covid-19. This is something that the government has said it will ramp up, carrying out tests in densely populated areas across Dubai.

The Dubai Metro has also been suspended until further notice, meaning that from Sunday morning, residents will not be able to access the public transport service. Buses and taxis are still running at this time, however there are rules which should be followed.

A new directive instructs that everyone, when they do leave the house, must wear a mask and protective gloves, whether they are displaying Covid-19 symptoms or not.

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