COVID-19: Dubai eases precautionary measures for events and activities

Dubai: Dubai’s Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management on Monday announced updated precautionary measures for events and activities, effective immediately.

According to the revised measures, live entertainment and activities are allowed to be held in restaurants, cafés and shopping malls for a trial period of one month starting 17 May on the condition that the latest precautionary measures are observed and performers and entertainers have taken the COVID-19 vaccine. The period can be extended depending on the results.

All entertainment facilities and venues can have an increased capacity of 70 per cent while hotels can raise their occupancy ceiling to 100 per cent.

The Supreme Committee stressed that it continues to be mandatory for people attending events and activities to wear face masks and observe minimum physical distancing of two metres.

Permits will also be given for community sports events, concerts and social and institutional events like gala dinners and award ceremonies for a trial period of one month (extendable) starting from Monday on the condition that attendees and participants have been vaccinated for COVID-19 and observe the latest precautionary measures as required under the permit type. Fans and spectators will also be able to attend sports events provided all attendees, participants and staff have received the COVID-19 vaccine.

The attendance capacity for these permitted events should not exceed 70 per cent. The maximum attendance allowed for such events that receive permits after the updated precautionary measures come into effect on Monday, is 1,500 for indoor events and 2,500 for outdoor events.

Weddings are allowed to be held with the maximum attendance capped at 100 for wedding venues/hotels; all attendees and staff should have received the COVID-19 vaccination. Attendance at wedding events at homes is capped at 30; all attendees should strictly observe updated precautionary measures, including social distancing rules and wearing of masks.

The maximum number of people allowed to sit on a single table at restaurants has been increased to 10. Coffee shops can have a maximum of six people per table. Restaurants are allowed to resume brunches with strict observance of updated precautionary measures outlined by authorities.

For a one-month extendable trial period starting Monday, bars will be permitted to reopen, provided all customers and staff have received the COVID-19 vaccine. The latest precautionary measures must be stringently observed, as required under the permit type.

Dubai’s Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management stressed the need for the community to fully adhere to the updated precautionary measures. Inspections will continue to be carried out by the concerned authorities to ensure compliance with the measures. Violators will face stiff penalties. The situation will be closely monitored and assessed in cooperation with Dubai’s COVID-19 Command and Control Centre.

The Supreme Committee highlighted the importance of the cooperation of members of the public and their compliance with updated measures to promote an accelerated return to normality. Working together is key to ensuring the highest levels of health and safety in the community and preventing any setback to the efforts to curb the pandemic, it said.