Saudi Arabia to ease COVID-19 restrictions from March 07

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia will ease coronavirus-related restrictions on entertainment and events and reopen cinemas, gyms, and sports centers starting March 7, the state news agency, SPA, quoted a source in the ministry of interior.

The restrictions, which came into force on February 03, were on cinemas and indoor entertainment centers, independent indoor games’ venues, restaurants and shopping centers, gyms and sports centers, and dine-in at restaurants and cafes.

The suspension of events and parties will continue until further notice, the agency reported, and this includes weddings, corporate meetings, held in banquet halls or independent wedding halls or hotel venues, along with a continued ban on events at rental rest houses and camps that are usually used for these purposes.

Social events will continue to be restricted to a maximum of 20 attendees in Saudi Arabia.

The source further stressed the need for everyone to adhere to these measures, including the continued distribution of prayers at funerals in cemeteries at all times of the day, and not to be complacent in the application of precautionary measures and protocols approved for all activities, so as to preserve the public health of society and protect the gains achieved during the last period at all levels.

The source quoted by official Saudi media said that inspection campaigns will be increased during the next period in order to ensure that all individuals and facilities adhere to the precautionary measures and violators will be fined.

They said that all precautionary measures are subject to continuous evaluation by the competent authorities, according to the developments of the pandemic situation.