Five more restaurants have been closed for a week and a further 53 fined by the Public Health Directorate for Covid-19 violations.
The crackdown follows a series of inspection campaigns in co-ordination with the Interior Ministry, the Industry, Commerce and Tourism Ministry and the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA).
Around 190 restaurants across Bahrain were checked to emphasise the newly-announced restrictions issued by the National Taskforce to Combat the Coronavirus to tackle the spike in virus cases.
“The violations varied between allowing people under 18 and those who have not been vaccinated into the interior spaces of restaurants,” a health ministry spokesman said.
“In addition, some people inside the restaurants lacked a vaccination certificate on the BeAware application.”
Earlier the ministry issued a statement that they wanted businesses to be aware of the precautionary measures that needed to be taken following advice by the National Taskforce to Combat the Coronavirus.
This includes restricting admission to malls and indoor dining at restaurants and cafes to those who have taken both doses of the vaccine, those who have recovered and people over the age of 18.
"They also stressed the importance of taking the temperatures of those who visit stores, reducing the capacity of the facilities to the permissible percentage, marking waiting areas, ensuring social distancing and preventing crowding,” an earlier statement stressed.
The ministry outlined that even those who have taken both jabs of the vaccine had to wait two weeks before visiting malls and restaurants.
The inspectors also made sure the restaurants were providing surface disinfection and following up on the implementation of all required preventive and precautionary measures.
Stores across Bahrain have also been inspected as part of the campaign and have been alerted to take the necessary precautions and some have had their mistakes corrected on the spot.
“These important steps were made to secure Bahrain’s public health and to verify the commitment of individuals, owners of restaurants, cafes, and other stores related to the precautionary measures and health requirements that must be applied,” said the ministry.
“This is an important pillar to limit the spread of the coronavirus, as field visits continue, utmost efforts are made, and necessary measures are taken to ensure the health and safety of everyone.”
The GDN previously reported that the tough new rules, until June 3, were enforced on Thursday as medics revealed that 60 per cent of active cases in the kingdom were Bahrainis, of which 42 per cent were children aged below 18.
The National Taskforce to Combat the Coronavirus issued guidelines making several indoor facilities accessible only to those aged above 18 who have vaccinated or recovered from the virus.
People who have completed 14 days after the second dose of a Covid-19 vaccine and those who have recovered will have to show the shield on their mobile app before entering commercial malls, cinemas and several other indoor facilities.
Meanwhile, a total of 79,034 mask-related violations were reported in public places countrywide since the outbreak.
The Police directorates and other security agencies in the four governorates took 9,188 measures to enforce the social distancing requirements and conducted 10, 261 campaigns to raise public awareness, in compliance with health protocols set by the National Medical Taskforce for Combating Covid-19.
Last week, 1,177 mask-wearing violations were reported in Muharraq, 929 by the Capital Governorate, 616 by the Northern Governorate and 111 by the Southern Governorate.
The National Ambulance Service has so far responded to a total of 13,563 coronavirus-related calls through its paramedic teams.
The General Directorate for Civil Defence has also conducted 294,123 disinfection operations with the help of 6,134 volunteers.
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