DUBAI: Abu Dhabi and Dubai have announced preparations to reopen malls and shopping centers, issuing guidelines on Thursday for business owners and shoppers on the eve of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
The exact dates and timing of reopenings have yet to be announced, but are highly anticipated not only by customers, but by business owners who have been hit hard by the lockdowns aimed at curbing the spread of the coronavirus in the United Arab Emirates, which has reported more than 8,200 cases.
The guidelines, issued separately by Abu Dhabi’s Department of Economic Development and the Government of Dubai, mandate limits on operating hours as well as limits on staff and customer capacity.
The malls in Abu Dhabi will only be open to the public between 2 p.m. and 9 p.m., and in Dubai, malls will be open for no more than 10 hours per day.
Visitor volume in both emirates will be limited to 30% of the mall’s capacity, with visitors allowed a maximum of three hours inside the mall. All touch screens will be disabled, available parking spaces will be cut by 50% in Abu Dhabi and 75% in Dubai, and entry will be denied to visitors above the age of 60 in both emirates. In Dubai, entry will also be barred for children between the ages of 2 and 13.
