Coronavirus: UAE federal employees to work fewer hours as nurseries close temporarily

Workers wearing protective gear spray disinfectant as part of preventive measures against the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, in a courtroom at Suwon High Court in Suwon, South Korea. AFP

Workers wearing protective gear spray disinfectant as part of preventive measures against the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, in a courtroom at Suwon High Court in Suwon. AFP

Staff members welcome recovered patients (unseen) as they are discharged from Leishenshan Hospital, the makeshift hospital for the COVID-19 coronavirus patients, in Wuhan in China's central Hubei province. AFP

Medical staff members wave to a recovered patient (foreground L) at Leishenshan Hospital, the makeshift hospital for the COVID-19 coronavirus patients, in Wuhan in China's central Hubei province. AFP

A recovered patient (in wheelchair), 98, is discharged from Leishenshan Hospital, the makeshift hospital for the COVID-19 coronavirus patients, in Wuhan in China's central Hubei province. AFP

A passenger wearing a face mask as he shows a green QR code on his phone to show his health status to security upon arrival at Wenzhou railway station in Wenzhou. The National Health Commission on March 1 reported 573 new infections, bringing the total number of cases in mainland China to 79,824. AFP

A passenger wearing a face mask as he shows a green QR code on his phone to show his health status to security upon arrival at Wenzhou railway station in Wenzhou. The National Health Commission on March 1 reported 573 new infections, bringing the total number of cases in mainland China to 79,824. AFP

A passenger wearing a face mask upon arrival at Wenzhou railway station in Wenzhou. The National Health Commission on March 1 reported 573 new infections, bringing the total number of cases in mainland China to 79,824. AFP

Passengers wearing face masks arriving at Wenzhou railway station in Wenzhou. The National Health Commission on March 1 reported 573 new infections, bringing the total number of cases in mainland China to 79,824. AFP

Passengers wearing face masks queueing to show a green QR code on their phones to show their health status to security upon arrival at Wenzhou railway station in Wenzhou. The National Health Commission on March 1 reported 573 new infections, bringing the total number of cases in mainland China to 79,824. AFP

Federal employees in the UAE have been granted flexible working hours as nurseries in the country closed temporarily in an effort to stay the spread of the coronavirus outbreak.

The Federal Authority for Government Human Resources issued a circular granting mothers working in UAE ministries and federal entities who have children in nurseries, flexible working hours, reported news agency, Wam, on Sunday.

Working mothers may arrive two hours late or leave two hours before they finish normal working hours to take care of their children registered at the nurseries and kindergartens which have been suspended for precautionary considerations under an earlier circular by the Ministry of Education.

According to the circular, the flexible working hours will be called off once nurseries are reopened. FAHR urged all departments to commit to the decision as long as it does not affect the workflow.

Authorities moved to impose restrictions on every school in the country after the total number of confirmed cases in the Emirates rose to 21 over the weekend, when two support staff in the country for the UAE Tour, a major cycling event, tested positive for Covid-19.

The final stages of the cycle tour were cancelled and a lockdown was put in place at two popular hotels in Yas Island, while hundreds of cyclists, support staff and journalists covering the event were tested for the respiratory illness.

On Saturday, Abdulrahman Al Owais, Minister of Health and Prevention, moved to reassure residents about the country’s ability to deal with an escalating outbreak, with the number of cases spiralling across the world.