Reopening responsibly: DIFC’s plan for resuming work

Dubai International Financial Centre, the region's largest financial free zone, plans gradual reopening of business activities from Wednesday, May 27.
The free zone's announcement came in line with the announcement of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council, concerning the gradual re-opening of business activities in Dubai.
"We will continue to monitor this evolving situation. We are confident that through continued collaboration with our long-standing partners and clients, we can move forward together stronger than ever before," it said
Below is the detail of how DIFC plans to reopen its retail, offices and F&B outlets.
Offices
All offices are allowed to resume to normal operations and working hours.
All offices are allowed increase capacity level of staffing to 50%.
Retail Outlet
All retail outlets are allowed to operate with an occupancy ceiling of 70%.
Indoor gyms, fitness centers and entertainment centres to operate at 50% ceiling capacity (No showers, spa, saunas, massages, events or gatherings)
All salons and barbers are allowed to operate with an occupancy ceiling of 50% for all services (excluding, spa, sauna, bath, or massages), no home service permitted, and all preventive and health measures should be strictly observed.
All retail outlets at Marble Walk, Gate District, and Gate Village can open from 6 AM to 10 PM.

Food & Beverage Outlet
All Food & Beverage outlets are allowed to operate at their own capacity while maintaining hygiene, sanitization, and social distancing. Regardless of the capacity, they should all maintain placing tables 2 meters apart for all customers or set up separators/screens between tables.
All Food & Beverage outlets at Marble Walk, Gate District, and Gate Village can open from 6 AM to 10 PM.

Gate Avenue Outlet
All Gate Avenue Retail / Food & Beverage outlets will be open starting from 1 June 2020 and must abide by the above.

Accordingly, it is imperative that we all take the necessary precautionary measures to preserve the wellbeing of the Centre. All entities operating from the DIFC will be required to abide by the following public health procedures
All previously announced protocols, precaution measures, and guidelines to be maintained.
All visitors, tenants, and employees are mandated to wear face masks at all times upon entering and inside DIFC buildings. Non-compliance will lead to denial of entry into DIFC premises.
All visitors, tenants and employees will undergo temperature screenings and checks at the entrance (parking entry, podium reception, and at the main entrance of DIFC)
Normal operations and working hours must be aligned to federal directives on national sterilization program hours.

-waheedabbas@khaleejtimes.com