Gulf Cooperation Council Countries’ Ease of Restrictions and How it Impacts Citizens
During the month of Ramadan, most Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries announced a partial lockdown. Saudi Arabia, the largest country in the GCC, eased its restriction, allowing public movement from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m each day, however maintaining full lockdown on Mecca (Alarabiya).
After the Eid extended lockdown hours, most GCC countries gradually lifted lockdown restrictions, returning to a “new normal”. Saudi Arabia relaxed curfew hours, resuming commercial activities and domestic travel. Dubai announced the reopening of retail and entertainment businesses along with the easing of restrictions on movement (Arab News).
The Coronavirus outbreak in the Middle East is likely to remain under control.
“If isolation of workers works well and if the population respects social distancing and safe measures, I do not think that lifting restrictions will lead to an increase in cases,” Cédomir Nestorvic, a professor of geopolitics and Islamic business at ESSEC Business School said.
Some officials believe that restrictions must be eased, not only because of the decrease of COVID-19 cases, but due to economic benefits.
“The economic impact of this pandemic cannot be understated and this is partially why you are starting to see some countries lifting restrictions sooner than maybe recommended,” Amira Roess, a professor of global health and epidemiology said.
Still, this depends on citizens following safety measures, and governments have implemented tools to urge citizen compliance. For example, Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Health created a website dedicated to explaining how the novel virus works with protocols designed to avoid the spread of COVID-19 to increase safety and enforce penalties (Saudi Arabia’s Ministry Of Health).
“People violating measures designed to stop the spread of Coronavirus could be sent to jail”, Saudi Arabia’s Interior Ministry said.
Citizens, private companies, or their employees could be fined between SR1,000 and SR100,000 and jailed for between one month and a year for violating measures. Fines and prison sentences will also be issued for anyone who breaks quarantine instructions, or uses a permit to move around during a curfew for unintended purposes (Arab News). The ministry stated that if anyone deliberately infects another person, they could be jailed for up to five years and fined up to SR500,000. The ministry also mentioned that if any of the offenses are committed by an expatriate, they would be deported and barred from re-entering the country (Saudi Press Agency).
These decisions were not enforced only due to the decrease of COVID-19 cases, but economic reasons as well. In order to ensure their safety, citizens are urged to respect social distancing and engage in safe measures.
References:
Abigail Ng. (MAY 8 2020). Countries in the Middle East are easing coronavirus restrictions. Here’s what experts have to say. CNBC
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/05/08/coronavirus-middle-east-countries-ease-restrictions.html
Arab News. Saudi Arabia announces penalties for those breaching coronavirus measures.
Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Health’s protocols for avoiding COVID-19.
Ministry of Interior Announces Provisions and Fines for Violators of Preventive Measures to Confront Coronavirus Pandemic. Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
https://www.spa.gov.sa/viewfullstory.php?lang=en&newsid=2082864
Ismaeel Naar, Al Arabiya English.
Saudi Arabia partially lifts coronavirus curfew nationwide, Mecca lockdown remains
