Dubai Residents, If You've Been Craving Some Pool Time - We Have Some Great News For You

If you've been craving some much-needed pool time, we have some excellent news for you. All Dubai hotels have been granted access to reopen their swimming pools to hotel guests.

According to a new circular issued by the Dubai Government, all hotel swimming pools can reopen to hotel guests, in line with a new set of COVID-19 rules.

Aside from outlining the new swimming rules, the circular listed several new of COVID-19 rules that are to be followed by hotels across the emirate.

These include ensuring that rooms are regularly sanitized and are to be left vacant for 24 hours between room guests. All hotels are to install thermometer and thermal camera systems to monitor employee and guest temperatures throughout the day. Guests are required to wear masks when the hotel's general areas and elevators are to be used by a maximum of four guests at a time. For hotel dining, only four guests can sit at a table at one time.

Facilities like restaurants and cafes, gyms, and beaches within the city's many hotels have also resumed operations at limited capacity.

The announcement comes after it was confirmed that all shopping malls and private sector businesses in Dubai would resume operations at 100 percent capacity from Wednesday, June 3.

The news was announced on the official Dubai Media Office's Twitter page.

#Dubai's shopping malls and private sector businesses to fully operate at 100% capacity. pic.twitter.com/F3h8ynBK1D

— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) June 2, 2020

The news also follows the announcement of guidelines, regarding the mandatory wearing of protective face masks in Dubai.

According to the official circular issued by the Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management in Dubai, children under the age of six are now exempt from wearing face masks. As are people of determination with cognitive, intellectual, sensory disorders or impairments that hinder their ability to breathe or communicate. Individuals who require breathing assistance and those with severe respiratory conditions are also exempt from wearing face masks.

The guidelines also detailed when the temporary removal of protective face masks is permitted.

Instances, where Dubai residents and locals can temporarily remove their face masks, include when driving alone in a car or when driving in the presence of members of the same household. When eating or drinking at a restaurant (both indoors and outdoors), when performing strenuous exercise, and when seated at an office alone. Those undergoing medical treatment such as dental and ocular surgery are also temporarily exempt from wearing face masks.

The Committee revealed that the new guidelines are based on recommendations of the COVID-19 Command and Control Centre as well as a comprehensive review of global best practices.

Within the guidelines, the Committee stressed the importance and the needs for parents and guardians of the exempted groups to ensure that a strict social distance of two meters is maintained. It also emphasized that face masks could only be removed under the conditions specified in the guidelines.

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