Kuwait fights COVID-19: Cannot sit, eat in restaurants

KUWAIT CITY: The Cabinet rejected the proposals of health authorities to impose a total or partial curfew in the country at the present time.

The Kuwaiti Cabinet decided on Monday to restrain traffic into the country via the land and sea routes and banned customers’ presence inside restaurants and cafes.

The council of ministers’ decision came during the weekly session, held at Seif Palace – chaired by His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah.

The Cabinet also decided to close the land and sea passageways, with exemption for shipping and workers in the divided zone. Citizens will be allowed to return to Kuwait via the land and maritime ports, with company of “first-degree” relatives and domestic workers.

The MoI and the customs directorate are assigned to implement this resolution, effective February 24 until March 20. The cabinet decided to form a joint commission, headed by the Ministry of Interior.

It will group the Ministry of Health and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and will be tasked with overseeing the mechanism of enforcing the institutional quarantine on all arrivals in the country.

Moreover, the Cabinet decided to ban customers’ presence inside restaurants and cafes, including those located at the shopping malls, however delivery services will be allowed. This will be enforced as of February 24 for an indefinite duration.

After the sudden decision of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to extend the entry ban on non- Kuwaitis until further notice as part of measures to curb the spread of corona, the Ministry of Education is now facing another dilemma due to the additional number of expatriate teachers who are stranded abroad, reports Al- Jarida daily quoting sources from the educational sector.

Return

The sources pointed out it is no longer possible for expatriates teachers, who spent mid-year vacation in their countries, to return to Kuwait now as a result of the above-mentioned decision. Sources disclosed the decision caused enormous losses for these teachers, most of whom traveled to transit countries 14 days ago in preparation for their entry into the country to resume work in schools.

Sources confirmed that the number of foreign teachers, who traveled to their home countries after obtaining an exit permit, is estimated to be in the hundreds. Sources explained that according to current data, these teachers will not be able to resume work on March 1 due to the new measures implemented by health authorities including institutional quarantine for a period of 14 days.

Sources added the fate of most of these teachers remains unknown, especially since the expenses of staying in transit countries are high and they do not know how long they need to stay there – whether the airport will open for them or the current situation will last for a long time. Sources revealed these teachers will be added to the list of those who went on vacation last summer, indicating the total number will increase to about a thousand. Therefore, the ministry will face a shortage of teachers in some specializations, sources stated. (KUNA)