Coronavirus: UAE malls consider new safety measures for reopening

They are already using temperature scanners and many require visitors to wear masks

Empty roads in Dubai Marina in mid-April. 24 hour restrictions on leaving home which were in place since March were eased for Ramadan, allowing people to leave home from 6am to 10pm. Pawan Singh / The National

A pedestrian wearing a mask crosses the main street on Palm Jumeirah in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National

A police barrier stands in front of Atlantis Hotel, one of the largest hotels in the country. Pawan Singh / The National

The tunnel underneath the palm is usually packed with traffic on a Friday. Pawan Singh / The National

A solitary shopper walks past the yachts quay at Dubai Marina. Pawan Singh / The National

A resident looks out from his apartment building in Dubai Marina. Pawan Singh / The National

A security guard takes the body temperature of a delivery driver in the Al Furjan suburb. Pawan Singh / The National

Talabat delivery drivers, who have permission to operate at all times of day, collect their orders in Dubai Marina. Pawan Singh / The National

A sign in Fujairah urges people to 'stay home' as people do their shopping. Chris Whiteoak / The National

A Dubai Police officer stops the vehicles and checks for permit to leave home near Dubai's Madinat Jumeirah. Pawan Singh / The National

A man has his body temperature reading taken upon arriving at the police station of Naif in Dubai. AFP

The closed open air gym at Skydive Dubai. Antonie Robertson / The National

Dibba Al Hisn’s seafood market. Reem Mohammed / The National

A sign warns people to stay home along the Dubai Marina. Antonie Robertson / The National

Visitors to UAE malls are likely to face enhanced hygiene measures when they make their first shopping trip in weeks.

The proposed relaxation of strict rules, which have been in force for a month, means that businesses and retailers are preparing to bring back staff and open their doors again.

Shopping centres in Abu Dhabi and Dubai have outlined plans to prevent those over the age of 60 from entering, while children aged between three and 12 could not enter Dubai malls either.

Temperature checks would be mandatory as part of ongoing efforts to guard against the spread of Covid-19.

Early Ramadan shoppers at Carrefour Yas Mall are told to wear gloves and mask before entering. Victor Besa / The National

Over recent weeks, only supermarkets and chemists were able to remain open to visiting patrons, with many companies scrambling to offer delivery and online services as they fought to survive.

"We are pleased with the announcement by the government and the guidelines issued,” Saoud Khoory, executive director of retail at Aldar Properties, which operates shopping centres including Yas Mall and the World Trade Centre Mall in Abu Dhabi, said.

“We look forward to welcoming our guests soon, and we want to reassure them that we are doing everything we can to ensure their wellness.”

He said measures had already been put in place to ensure the safety of guests and workers, and further discussions were currently taking place about what more could be done.

“We are utilising this time to work closely with our retail partners to ensure the highest levels of protection and hygiene for all staff and visitors as soon as our malls resume operation," he said.

Mall operators said they were considering putting in place additional measures to ensure the safety of the public. Many have already been requiring customers to wear face masks and, in some cases, gloves, before entering to visit the few stores that have been able to stay open.

In Dubai, stores have been told to limit the number of visitors at any one time, while entertainment and tourist attractions inside malls will remain closed to prevent overcrowding.

Customers of some well-known companies received text messages on Thursday informing them that stores would soon be reopening.

At Yas Mall, visitors have noticed ‘disinfectant gates’ being installed at an entrance over recent days. Similar walk-through gates have already been installed at some transport hubs, including Abu Dhabi Central Bus Station.

It is understood that the Yas Mall gates, which is still being installed and tested, will initially only be for staff members.

However, there were claims that the similar apparatus could soon become widespread at locations including malls, schools, airports and labour camps.

There were claims that products such as the Guard Sanitaising Gate could become widespread at venues including malls

A UAE firm, Guard ME, has said its ‘sanitisation gate’ kills 99.9 per cent of germs and viruses, and is also capable of detecting the temperatures of users and whether they are wearing face masks. Users who walk through the gates are sprayed with a disinfectant mist.

The company said it can build 30 of the machines a day in the UAE and already counts some government hospitals and Emirates Red Crescent among its clients. Sharjah Police and Sharjah Civil Defence have also placed orders.

“We have created a solution that will play a big role in helping businesses and residents return back to our daily lives as quickly as possible,” Husam Zammar, co-founder of the company, said.

“The Guard Sanitising Gate is a great product to be installed and used in malls, schools, offices, public transport locations, healthcare venues, airports, hotels, restaurants and more.

“The technology used in this product is first of its kind in the Middle East and we will offer a low-cost consumption compared to other products in market.”