Coronavirus: Yas Mall refuses entry to shoppers without own masks and gloves

Abu Dhabi's largest mall stopped handing the items out on Thursday

• 

  Escalators are cleaned every 20 minutes at Yas Mall as part of strict measures in place to combat Covid-19. All pictures by Victor Besa/The National

• 

  Staff and shoppers must adhere to safety measures at Yas Mall

• 

  Yas Mall opened its doors again earlier this month after a shutdown period due to the coronavirus pandemic

• 

  Paul's Cafe workers happy to be back at work. (L-R) Donabelle Bote, Elcon Mabarejes and Ellis Jamisola.

• 

  Yas Mall will be open from noon to 9pm during Ramadan

• 

  Yas Mall is operating at 30 per cent capacity in order to limit health risks to the public

• 

  A cashier wears a face mask and gloves in line with government measures to protect the public

• 

  A security worke carries out a check on a visitor at Yas Mall

• 

  Malls across the UAE have been allowed to reopen as long as they comply with health and safety measures

• 

  Yas Mall is one of a number of shopping centres which have reopened in line with a government strategy to ease restrictions on trade and travel

• 

  Shoppers venture out to Yas Mall on Saturday

• 

  Shoppers must still abide by social distancing practices while in the mall and wear masks and gloves

Yas Mall has begun refusing entry to customers who do not bring their own masks and gloves.

Abu Dhabi’s largest shopping centre stopped handing out the items to shoppers entering the mall on Thursday.

A customer services agent confirmed to The National that everyone must be wearing both before they step inside.

“Today they stopped handing out gloves and masks,” he said.

Anyone who did not have their own masks and gloves and wanted to buy some inside would have to speak to security for advice.

Yas Mall reopened last week after restrictions on trade and movement designed to contain the spread of coronavirus were eased.

Under rules governing the reopening of malls in the emirate, people aged over 60 and children aged 12 and under are not allowed to enter the mall, which will operate at 30 per cent capacity for the time being.

A sanitisation gateway is positioned at the entrance, along with thermal scanners to test everyone’s temperature. Anyone found to have a fever is denied entry.

Visitors are also asked to bring their own bags and use cards rather than cash to pay for their shopping.

Other measures include frequent sanitisation of lifts, escalators, door handles, trolleys and tissue dispensers.

Touch screens have been disabled. Mall staff wear gloves and masks at all times and have their temperatures checked every two hours.

Security staff are tasked with ensuring visitors adhere to social distancing.

Restaurants and the malls food court are open, but are operating at 30 per cent capacity. Only two diners can sit at tables positioned 2.5 metres apart.

Opening hours during Ramadan will be 12pm to 9pm to avoid overlapping with disinfection hours that last from 10pm to 6am. Supermarkets and pharmacies – which can be visited in cases of absolute necessity during the disinfection period – will open from 9am to midnight.