Combating Covid-19: You can step out during the day only for these reasons

UAE residents can go out for buying groceries and medicines; getting treatment for an urgent health condition; and for their jobs during the day time, a lawyer has said. However, unless it is for these reasons, they are supposed to #StayHome to help stop the spread of Covid-19.

Emirati lawyer Awatif Mohammed Khouri from Al Rowaad Advocates said people need to differentiate between two categories of fines announced as part of the sanctions issued by the country's Attorney-General recently. One (Dh3,000) is solely for violating the curfew set out during the National Disinfection Programme and the other (Dh2,000) for leaving homes during the day time.  

The UAE will carry out the disinfection programme from 8pm to 6am everyday till April 4. The lawyer stressed that people are prohibited from going out during this period.

"This is clear and means that no one should be out from 8pm until 6am, while the exceptions to this rule are only people who are authorised to be out based on the nature of their jobs," Khouri said. "When the decision on prohibiting going out during the disinfection programme stated that it excludes individuals out to obtain essential supplies such as food and medicine, it was being flexible.

"But we have to be rational here and instead of waiting for curfew times to buy essentials, we should do it during day time," she added. Residents need to secure a permit from the Ministry of Interior website for stepping out during the curfew period.

Khouri explained that the sanctions allow people to be out during the day time for some specified reasons. "But this does not mean that people go out during day time for non-essential errands, like going to the mall for a walk or going to the park,"

The lawyer explained that these rules shall be effective and implemented until the authorities concerned announce otherwise.

afkarali@khaleejtimes.com