On Monday, 25 May, HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, announced the gradual reopening of businesses in Dubai. Gyms, cinemas and other businesses will reopen from 27 May between 6am and 11pm, in line with the National Sterilisation Programme.
Well, after a long break, residents can now head back to sweating it out in the gym. So, what will your workout be like after the long break? A circular issued by Dubai Sports Council draws out a set of rules and regulations all gyms must follow when they open. This includes a list of social distancing and sanitization measures. As per the announcement, all gym equipments must be sanitized thoroughly. In addition, there must also be a permanent sanitization program in place.
Here are the rules gyms must follow when they reopen:
- Customers must maintain physical distance of at least two metres at all times.
- Separators or partitions will be installed between sports equipment, where appropriate
- Facemask must be worn while doing light physical activities.
- The mask can be lowered while engaging in strenuous physical activity
- Waiting areas, locker rooms, showers, saunas and Jacuzzis will be closed
- Bathrooms and toilets must be sanitised after each use
- The floor and equipment must be sanitized after every use.
- Children under the age of 12 and people over the age of 60 aren’t allowed to train
- Anyone with a cough, temperature or difficulty breathing will not be permitted to enter the gym
- Temperatures will be checked before each training session
What Else?
Furthermore, Dubai recently announced that licensed restaurants are permitted to serve alcohol. Restaurants within and outside licensed hotels can serve drinks to customers. However, bars will continue to remain shut. In addition, restaurants serving alcohol must adhere to strict social distancing rules.
Drinks can be served to customers only on tables and not within the bar. Further, restaurants must use single-use glasses for serving drinks. Serving alcohol directly in bottles is strictly prohibited. And there’s more! Just in time for the long weekend, MMI and African Eastern announced that it will be delivering alcohol straight to your home. You can now order before 12pm and they will deliver the next day!