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Coronavirus: Dubai extends 24-hour National Sterilisation Programme

Dubai - Supreme Committee for Crisis and Disaster Management in Dubai announced today.

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Dubai's Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management, chaired by His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, announced that the round-the-clock sterilisation programme in the emirate will be extended for an additional week.
The extension follows the positive impact of the two-week sterilisation operations and intensified restrictions on movement aimed at curbing the spread of coronavirus, Covid-19.
The Committee's decision to extend the 24-hour sterilisation programme, which first came into effect on April 4, 2020, is part of its efforts to heighten precautionary measures against Covid-19. The success of task forces' efforts to ensure high levels of protection and prevention across Dubai also contributed to the decision.
The move for an extension was based on a careful assessment of the impact of measures in the last two weeks, in coordination with the Command and Control Centre for Combating Covid-19.

The Supreme Committee for Crisis & Disaster Management in Dubai announces the extension of the 24-hour National Sterilisation Programme for a further week, in light of the success achieved by the initiative, in place since April 4, in controlling the spread of COVID-19 in Dubai. pic.twitter.com/LcHXxSCmOX
- Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) April 17, 2020

The Committee closely monitored the results of the intensified restrictions on the movement of people and vehicles. These measures accelerated efforts to combat COVID-19, enabled sterilisation operations to be carried out on a larger scale and allowed medical teams to conduct extensive testing in densely populated areas The Committee noted that during the 24-hour sterilisation period, the Dubai Government was keen to ensure people are able to leave their homes for essential purposes in order to avoid undue disruptions to their lives.
Members of the public were allowed to make necessary trips for purposes like buying food and medicine. It also introduced an online system to apply for a movement permit, which efficiently facilitated the regulated movement of people, the Committee said.
The movement permit system will continue to be in place during the extended sterilisation period, the Committee confirmed. Concerned teams from Dubai Police are working at their fullest capacity to issue movement permits speedily.
Vital sectors and essential services will remain exempt from the restrictions as per the previous directives, with few amendments that have been also announced to raise the level of protective measures, based on an assessment of the results of measures implemented in the last two weeks.
The Committee stressed on the need for everyone to abide by the instructions and precautionary guidelines outlined by the Ministry of Health and Prevention and the Dubai Health Authority.
Each individual should wear a face mask and gloves and keep a safe distance from others in addition to disinfecting their hands regularly with sterilisers or a 20-second handwash with soap and water.
The Committee thanked citizens and residents for their full cooperation and compliance with preventive measures during this period. It also urged the general public, including citizens and residents, to stay at home and go out only when it is absolutely necessary. It stressed the importance of abiding by the updated instructions.  Anyone violating the restrictions will face legal action, the Committee cautioned.
An assessment showed that the restrictions on movement in the last two weeks contributed significantly to reducing the spread of the virus. The measures also made it easier to track infected cases, and isolate and quarantine them, thereby significantly limiting the risks of the spread of Covid-19.
During a Q&A session on Thursday, Dr Amer Al Sharif, head of the Covid-19 Command and Control Centre and the vice-chancellor of the Mohammed bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences (MBRU), had said that a decision to extend the National Sterilisation Programme will be made on the scientific results provided by the Supreme Committee for Crisis and Disaster Management.
"The programme is considered a precautionary and protective measure that was undertaken by the wise leadership of the UAE."