Fighting coronavirus in UAE: Sharing home-cooked food prohibited this Ramadan, official warns

As many as 29,984 new tests have been conducted by the Ministry of Health and Prevention (Mohap) up to April 27, officials said on Monday.
In the latest briefing, authorities announced 490 new cases, taking the total to 10,839. Recoveries now stand at 2,090, with 112 cases added. Six new deaths were reported, with the total at 82.
As part of Covid-19 precautions, people have been advised to refrain from sharing food this Ramadan amid the pandemic situation, said Dr Amna Al Shamsi from Mohap.
While compliance with food safety standards is closely monitored among restaurants, bakeries and other outlets, the exchange of food between households is beyond the authorities' control, Al Shamsi said.
"It is prohibited to distribute homemade food that could possibly be contaminated because of tools and utensils used," she added.
For those who wish to extend meals to the needy, it is best to course donations through charities and certain entities.
"We are concerned over the safety of everybody, so we have undertaken the distribution of food to workers and to the needy," she said.
"Ramadan comes this year under exceptional circumstances, and people are questioning the safety of food. I would like to assure the public that we have a stringent control system for restaurants and bakeries."

Workers taken care of
Amid the pandemic situation, the UAE authorities have also made sure that workers are taken care of, Al Shamsi said.
"We have been holding workshops together with our stakeholders to raise awareness among the workers about safety protocols."
Food supplies and sanitisers were also distributed to them, especially since workers' movements have been restricted as part of precautions.
Their accommodations, clinics and buses were thoroughly inspected to ensure compliance with health and safety standards.
Al Shamsi added that the public can be assured workers' rights are protected at all costs.
Supporting employers, employees
Besides introducing initiatives for workers, the UAE has rolled out policies to maintain relationships between employees and employers across all sectors.
In fact, "the UAE is the first Arab country to implement a package of regulations regarding the business relations between employers and employees, aiming to protect the rights of both parties".
The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) has implemented a system to ensure that employees would get tickets to their home countries, as well as end-of-service benefits. The Early Leave initiative was also launched for foreign workers who wished to fly home amid the situation.
mary@khaleejtimes.com