Kuwait Extends School Closure, Restricts Public Gatherings to Combat COVID-19

To help prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus or COVID-19, the Kuwaiti Cabinet has announced a series of measures during its weekly meeting on Monday, 9th March 2020.

The meeting was held at Al-Saif Palace under the chairmanship of His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah. The Minister of Health and head of the inter-agency task force on COVID-19, Sheikh Dr. Basel Humoud Al-Sabah, discussed the latest figures and impact of the virus, along with Kuwait’s efforts to control the spread of COVID-19.

Kuwaiti Cabinet Takes Measures to Limit Public Gatherings

According to a press release by the Kuwait News Agency (KUNA), after the Cabinet meeting, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Anas Al-Saleh shared that the Cabinet reviewed the following measures to help counter COVID-19:

#1. Extended closure of all schools, universities, government and private colleges, military colleges, and educational centers of the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs for an additional two weeks, until 26th March 2020;

#2. Closure of all cinemas, theatres, public and private wedding halls, and banning of “makeshift” wedding reception tents until further notice;

#3. Suspension of all sporting events and friendly matches until further notice;

#4. Suspension of issuance of all types of entry visas and confinement of visa issuance to Kuwaiti diplomatic missions abroad;

#5. Usage of the Kuwait International Fairground as a medical testing centre by the Ministry of Health;

#6. Setting of rules by Kuwaiti Municipality and Ministry of Health for funeral ceremonies to be in accordance with proper health guidelines;

#7. Obliging all government agencies to ensure that all Kuwaiti and non-Kuwaiti employees who are placed in quarantine or ordered to stay at home shall not return to work before the end of their quarantine period; and

#8. Issuance of guidelines by the Ministry of Health with regard to regulating the entry of returnees from different countries, based on the following categories:

  • Returnees who will be subject to mandatory quarantine for 14 days;
  • Returnees who will be placed under home quarantine for 14 days and will be ordered to follow instructions from the health ministry and call the hotline 24970967 in case of observing COVID-19 symptoms; and
  • Returnees who will be under health observation and will be advised to isolate themselves for 14 days (except in cases of necessity), avoid gatherings, and call the hotline 24970967 in case of observing COVID-19 symptoms.

Moreover, the Kuwaiti Cabinet called on all citizens and residents to take all precautions and follow health instructions and guidelines that will be announced through official media channels. It also urged everyone to ignore rumours and trust only state official sources.

Now that the novel coronavirus has been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO), let us all do our part by following official instructions and taking necessary precautions. In the meantime, check out these tips to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Leave a Comment