RIYADH — The Minister of Municipal and Rural Affairs and Housing Majed Al-Hoqail has directed all mayoralties and municipalities to intensify field monitoring of markets, malls and all eateries, to ensure public health conditions and requirements are in place. This monitoring is necessitated so as to preserve consumers' health and safety and ensure their compliance with the anti-COVID preventive and precautionary measures, especially with the advent of the holy month of Ramadan. Al-Hoqail stressed to the mayoralties and municipalities to impose the maximum penalties on violators, in line with the list of fines and penalties for municipal violations of health requirements, and regulations governing the activities of food establishments. The directives include an emphasis on those in charge of health monitoring and supervisory work in the mayoralties and municipalities to tighten health control over all targeted facilities and activities, to ensure their compliance with the guidelines and precautionary measures to prevent any infection with novel coronavirus. The ministry had decided to suspend buffet service in restaurants during the holy month of Ramadan, and to intensify monitoring rounds for field teams. The aim is to ensure that precautionary measures are adhered to, protocols are applied, and to control violations in public parks and unlicensed playgrounds within the urban boundary, as well as prohibit dining tables in neighborhoods. In addition, shops in malls and shopping centers will be allowed to operate 24/7, so as to reduce the density of shoppers at peak times.
