Dubai:Dubai’s Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management, in coordination with the Command and Control Centre for Combating COVID-19, today announced the extension of the sterilisation programme to 24 hours a day across all areas and communities in the emirate to protect the health and safety of the community. The Committee also announced
intensified restrictions on the movement of people and vehicles.
The measures will be effective from 8.00 pm on Saturday, 4 April, 2020 for a period of
two weeks, subject to renewal. In addition, extensive medical tests will be conducted
across densely populated areas of Dubai to ensure members of the community are free
from COVID-19 infection.
The intensified measures require everyone to stay at home during this period. Food
retail outlets, such as Union cooperative stores and supermarkets, as well as
pharmacies and food and medicine deliveries are allowed to operate as usual.
The Committee said the measures, effective from today (Saturday), will be implemented
in cooperation with other entities working to combat the pandemic, including the
Command and Control Centre for Combating COVID-19, to ensure the highest levels of
protection and prevention. The Committee directed all members of the community to
comply with the new measures and cautioned that anyone found violating the
instructions will face legal action.
Individuals will not be allowed to leave the house, except for essential purposes or if
they are working in vital sectors exempted from the restrictions. These measures have
been put in place to ensure people undertake trips outside the home in a planned and
organised way.

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Exceptions from restrictions for individuals (General Public)
Individuals are permitted to leave home only for essential purposes as outlined below.
All people leaving home should wear a mask, gloves and ensure they keep a safe
distance from others.
Members of the public are allowed to go out for:
 Essential needs such as buying food from food supply outlets (Union
Cooperative stores, supermarkets and groceries); only one family member is
permitted to leave the house for this purpose.
 Buying medicines / getting medical assistance from healthcare service providers
like hospitals, clinics and pharmacies
 COVID-19 tests
Employees permitted to leave the house:
- Employees working in the below vital sectors are exempted from restrictions and
permitted to leave their house at any time of the day to commute to work.
VITAL SECTORS exempted from restrictions (24 hours a day):
- Healthcare services (Hospitals, clinics and pharmacies)
- Food supply outlets (Union Cooperative outlets, supermarkets, groceries)
- Delivery services (Food and medicine)
- Restaurants (operations limited to home deliveries only)
- Manufacturers of medicines and providers of healthcare and medical supplies
- Industrial sector (only vital industries)
- Industrial supply chain for services and basic commodities
- Water and electricity sector, petrol and gas stations and district cooling services
- Telecommunications sector
- Media sector
- Airports, airlines, ports, shipping
- Customs duty and border crossings
- Public and private security services
- Municipality services and public and private service providers involved in
garbage collection, sewage management and general cleaning and sanitation
- Private and government sector organisations involved in combating the
coronavirus (COVID-19).
- Public transport (buses and taxis only; metro and tram services will be
suspended)
- Construction sector, subject to obtaining a permit from Dubai Municipality and the
Permanent Committee for Labour Affairs.
SUPPORT SECTORS – (Employees working in these sectors are permitted to
commute to work between 8.00 am and 2.00 pm)

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- Banking and financial services (banks and exchange centres)
- Social welfare services.
- Laundry services (for permitted outlets)
- Maintenance services
Dubai’s Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management stressed that all
members of the community are strictly required to adhere to these guidelines to
safeguard the health and wellbeing of the community. Anyone violating the restrictions
will face stringent legal action. The compliance of all people is vital to the success of
measures to combat the virus and ensure the highest levels of protection.