UAE bans iftar gatherings, allows Taraweeh prayers in mosques

With the holy month of Ramadan less than one month away, the authorities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have specified multiple safety measures with an aim to avoid any gatherings amid the spread of coronavirus.

Dr. Seif Al Dhaheri, spokesperson for the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA) of UAE, announced the guidelines recently, reports Khaleej Times.

As per the guidelines, the Taraweeh prayers, the special prayers offered during the holy month of Ramadan, will be hosted in mosques across the country.

The country also urged its citizens to avoid family and friends gatherings, especially during Iftar. It also banned distributing and exchanging meals between homes and families.

The UAE also prohibited restaurants from distributing iftar meals inside or in front of their premises and taking iftar inside mosques.

The country put a limit on distribution of the iftar meals to labour housing complexes through direct coordination with the management. The authorities asked citizens to ensure strict social distancing.

According to the UAE government, these measures announced would be changed based on the global and local pandemic situation.

The elderly and people with chronic diseases have been urged to avoid gatherings of any kind, in order to ensure their safety.

Authorities urged people to adhere to the Covid-19 safety measures, warning that intensive inspection campaigns will be carried out during the holy month, and that legal action will be taken against all the violators.