UAE eases COVID-19 rules: Finally, we can go to malls without masks, say residents

UAE eases COVID-19 rules: Finally, we can go to malls without masks, say residents

It has been nearly two and half years since masks have been made mandatory to curb the spread of Covid-19. With the new mask rules announced by the authorities on Monday, residents express their pleasure at being able to move around freely in public places without having to cover their faces – just as they did in pre-covid times.

The number of daily infections in the country continues to decline with nearly no fatality for months, and the eased Covid-19 safety rules will come into effect from Wednesday, September 28.

A few residents visit malls and supermarkets on a regular basis for work or leisure. “This news is pleasing to my ears, as I have to visit supermarkets and malls daily for work,” said Sheila Marie, outdoor sales executive, FMCG distribution company (Al Seer Group).

“It will be refreshing and easy to breathe. I wait to complete my tasks and get out for fresh air. It will be so easy to identify [people] from now on,” added Marie.

Malls were closed in March 2020 and reopened a month later with stringent precautionary measures in place to curb the spread of the virus. Store capacity would be increased or decreased depending on the spread of