Covid-19: UAE malls deploy additional resources for safety as visitor capacity increases

Dubai - Malls take measures to ensure that visitors shop safely and responsibly

Shopping malls in the UAE are deploying additional resources to ensure that the facilities remain safe from Covid-19 and visitors also follow all precautionary protocols as authorities eased pandemic-related restrictions on Sunday.

The National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Management Authority (NCEMA) on Sunday said capacity at shopping malls, hotels, cinemas and eateries in the UAE has been increased to 80 per cent. Shopping malls are a major attraction for residents and foreign tourists with millions of people visiting malls every week.

David Huesser, director of asset management at Al Futtaim Malls, said they’re ensuring that visitors shop safely and responsibly as there is an increase in the number of customers who have been returning to the malls.

He stressed that the visitors must continue to adhere to health and safety rules while in the malls, including wearing masks at all times, sanitising their hands prior to entering the mall, spending the time they require at the mall and ensuring a physical distance of two metres from others at all times.

“Given the recent change in regulations around increase in capacity, we are ensuring that we are closely monitoring the car park capacity levels so that we do not exceed the maximum footfall of 80 per cent allowed in shopping centres with our on-ground team regularly circulating the mall to ensure all protocols with regards to social distancing and wearing masks are being adhered to at all times,” said Huesser.

“We continue to abide by all directives issued by the Dubai Government and operate in accordance with all guidelines to ensure the health and safety of our employees, customers, and tenants,” he said.

Abdullah Al Huraimel, executive director of new enterprises at Sharjah Cooperative Society, said they take the safety and health of all the stakeholders —employees and customers — seriously at Rahmania Mall.

“We went beyond the usual hygiene and sanitisation procedures, doubling our efforts and enhancing all protocols to ensure we provide a Covid-safe environment and experience,” he said.

Al Huraimel said training is an essential component of all these initiatives, so Al Rahmania Mall has devoted additional resources in this regard.

“We also invested in additional equipment, such as thermal cameras, and installed sanitisation dispensers throughout the mall, in addition to the signages and videos produced to raise awareness of our policies. We have been quite successful and believe we have contributed significantly to the safety of mall shoppers and other stakeholders within our premises,” added Al Huraimel.

waheedabbas@khaleejtimes.com

• UAE