RIYADH — Twenty-nine shopping malls across Asir region in the Kingdom's southwest have been booked for breaching precautionary measures to stem the spread of coronavirus, local media reports said on Monday. Action was initiated by teams from the Municipality of Asir after they detected the violations duriung a campaign to ensure strict adherence to the protocols, Asir Mayor Dr. Walid Al-Hamidi was quoted as saying. As per Saudi protocols, businesses are required to adhere to precautionary measures which include providing their staff with disinfectants and sanitizers, plus take the temperatures of both staff and customers at the entrances of shopping malls. Other measures include sterilizing shopping trolleys and baskets after each use, sanitizing facilities and surfaces, plus closing children's play areas and fitting rooms in shopping malls and ready-wear outlets, Mayor Dr. Al-Hamidi said. He said any gathering of shoppers or workers in or outside a shopping mall exceeding the numbers stipulated in the precautionary measures and preventive measures attracts a penalty of SR5,000 for each extra person, but not exceeding SR100,000.
