Coronavirus: Dubai lifts permit restrictions to allow shopping and exercise


Rory Reynolds
  • English
  • Arabic

Dubai residents will be allowed to leave home without a permit as of Friday after the government eased restrictions on personal travel.

The decision will allow people to move freely between 6am and 10pm for the first time since April 4.

In a series of developments on Thursday night, the Dubai government said:

  • Residents can leave home for one to two hours a day for exercise including running, cycling and dog walking - masks must be worn at all times. A maximum number of three people can exercise together.
  • They can visit "first and second-degree" relatives. Friends should not meet and no more than five people should be in one place together
  • Residents must be in their homes between 10pm and 6am
  • Malls will open between midday and 10pm
  • Shops can open but may not be at more than 30 per cent of maximum capacity at all times. Staff numbers should be reduced to 30 per cent capacity
  • No cinemas, entertainment or play areas areas can open
  • Dubai's main Metro line will resume service on Sunday, running from 7am to 11pm
  • Police will issue Dh1,000 fines to anyone found in public without a mask on. Wearing gloves in public or in supermarkets is not mandatory 

The city's beaches will remain off-limits however according to a spokeswoman for Dubai Media Office.

"Beaches and recreational activities are not included," she said.

A video shared by Dubai Media Office, in the early hours of Friday morning, stated that children and sick people were not allowed to exercise outdoors.

This has led to anxious parents taking to social media to complain.

Chief among their concerns was the impact the lockdown has had on their children’s mental and physical health.

Restaurants outside malls are allowed to serve food and beverages and can receive customers.

However they are required to reduce seating capacity to 30 per cent and place seats and tables two metres apart.

They must also follow stringent guidelines for sterilisation and should not offer open buffet or shisha.

The National contacted a number of hotel bars on Friday morning who all said they were unsure if they could reopen and were awaiting further instruction.

Workers are also allowed to return to the office providing it was not over 30 per cent of the staffing level.

Dubai Government recommended only returning to the office if it was absolutely necessary and urged people to continue working remotely.

Dubai, with a population of more than 3 million, had the strictest regulations, with residents requiring an online permit from police to leave home to buy essentials from supermarkets and pharmacies.

The emirate's Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management said "stringent measures undertaken over the last three weeks have significantly helped to mitigate the crisis".

The committee stressed, however, that the easing of restrictions did not mean Dubai was fully back to normal.

"It is vital that the public follows precautionary and preventative guidelines until the situation is normalised," read a statement from the committee.

Earlier, in a briefing note to businesses across the city, Dubai Economy set out guidelines on how malls, offices, factories, building sites and even public transport would start again once the government issued the go-ahead.

Under the plans, the emirate, which is under a strict 24-hour stay-at-home order, would allow people to receive family members during Ramadan and leave home for “one outdoor activity” a day.

Retailers rushed to mobilise staff on Thursday and get restaurants and shops in malls ready to open.

Erol Erguvenc, vice president of Gulf Gourmet, which runs the franchise for YO! Sushi, Texas de Brasil and California Pizza Kitchen, urged mall operators to offer rent relief where they could.

"Opening the mall is great news, as long as the landlords do not charge us the full rent, as it will be very tough for us," he told The National.

"It is an exciting time as we need the malls to reopen but we have to follow the guidelines."

Mr Erguvenc felt shoppers would be slow to return.

“It will take time for people to get more confident,” he said.

“A lot of people have been laid off or had their salary reduced so there will not be a lot of spare cash around.”

In Abu Dhabi, where officials said they were looking at “a staggered series of reopenings across key sectors to support local retailers and businesses”, mall operators received a set of instructions that would need to be followed before they could reopen.

Shopping centres in both cities will deny entry to those aged over 60, while children between 3 and 12 could not enter Dubai malls.

Temperature checks will be mandatory for anyone entering and separate entrances and exits will be introduced.

With the easing of restrictions, authorities urged people to act responsibly, wear masks outside and maintain a two-metre social distance.

DMZ facts
  • The DMZ was created as a buffer after the 1950-53 Korean War.
  • It runs 248 kilometers across the Korean Peninsula and is 4km wide.
  • The zone is jointly overseen by the US-led United Nations Command and North Korea.
  • It is littered with an estimated 2 million mines, tank traps, razor wire fences and guard posts.
  • Donald Trump and Kim Jong-Un met at a building in Panmunjom, where an armistice was signed to stop the Korean War.
  • Panmunjom is 52km north of the Korean capital Seoul and 147km south of Pyongyang, North Korea’s capital.
  • Former US president Bill Clinton visited Panmunjom in 1993, while Ronald Reagan visited the DMZ in 1983, George W. Bush in 2002 and Barack Obama visited a nearby military camp in 2012. 
  • Mr Trump planned to visit in November 2017, but heavy fog that prevented his helicopter from landing.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
F1 The Movie

Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem

Director: Joseph Kosinski

Rating: 4/5

Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
  • Priority access to new homes from participating developers
  • Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
  • Flexible payment plans from developers
  • Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
  • DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting 

2. Prayer 

3. Hajj 

4. Shahada 

5. Zakat 

Dark Souls: Remastered
Developer: From Software (remaster by QLOC)
Publisher: Namco Bandai
Price: Dh199

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How to wear a kandura

Dos

  • Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion 
  • Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
  • Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work 
  • Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester

Don’ts 

  • Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal 
  • Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
Global state-owned investor ranking by size

1.

United States

2.

China

3.

UAE

4.

Japan

5

Norway

6.

Canada

7.

Singapore

8.

Australia

9.

Saudi Arabia

10.

South Korea

Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The specs

Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel

Power: 579hp

Torque: 859Nm

Transmission: Single-speed automatic

Price: From Dh825,900

On sale: Now

The biog

Alwyn Stephen says much of his success is a result of taking an educated chance on business decisions.

His advice to anyone starting out in business is to have no fear as life is about taking on challenges.

“If you have the ambition and dream of something, follow that dream, be positive, determined and set goals.

"Nothing and no-one can stop you from succeeding with the right work application, and a little bit of luck along the way.”

Mr Stephen sells his luxury fragrances at selected perfumeries around the UAE, including the House of Niche Boutique in Al Seef.

He relaxes by spending time with his family at home, and enjoying his wife’s India cooking. 

What can victims do?

Always use only regulated platforms

Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion

Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)

Report to local authorities

Warn others to prevent further harm

Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence

Bharat

Director: Ali Abbas Zafar

Starring: Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif, Sunil Grover

Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars

Know before you go
  • Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
  • If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
  • By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
  • Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
  • Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.

 

Quick pearls of wisdom

Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”

Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.” 

Winners

Best Men's Player of the Year: Kylian Mbappe (PSG)

Maradona Award for Best Goal Scorer of the Year: Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)

TikTok Fans’ Player of the Year: Robert Lewandowski

Top Goal Scorer of All Time: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)

Best Women's Player of the Year: Alexia Putellas (Barcelona)

Best Men's Club of the Year: Chelsea

Best Women's Club of the Year: Barcelona

Best Defender of the Year: Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus/Italy)

Best Goalkeeper of the Year: Gianluigi Donnarumma (PSG/Italy)

Best Coach of the Year: Roberto Mancini (Italy)

Best National Team of the Year: Italy 

Best Agent of the Year: Federico Pastorello

Best Sporting Director of the Year: Txiki Begiristain (Manchester City)

Player Career Award: Ronaldinho

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Labour dispute

The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.


- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law