Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — The authorities have advanced curfew time to 3 p.m. from 7.p.m. in the rest of the Kingdom’s regions and cities, Saudi Press Agency said on Tuesday, citing a statement from the Interior Ministry.

The new curfew time, which comes into effect on Wednesday (April 8), follows the announcement of a 24-hour curfew in several cities and governorates of the Kingdom on Monday.

The aim is to ensure sustainability for the citizens and expatriates in fulfilling their needs and access to the services needed, the official source said.

To achieve the state objective, the following five decisions have been taken:

1- Curfew is advanced as of Wednesday in the rest of the regions and cities to be from 3 p.m. to 6 a.m.

2- Restaurants are allowed to provide their takeaway services until 10.00 p.m. via the delivery apps or their vehicles (except moving restaurants for parties and kitchens for large number of guests (walaem), taking into consideration all the required health precautions and hygiene, as per the instructions of the competent authorities.

3- Gas and laundry shops; maintenance and operation technicians; plumbers, electricians, air-conditioning technicians, sanitary drainage tanker trucks, and quick fix maintenance centers for vehicles at gas stations.

4- Owners of farms, beekeepers, livestock owners, poultry farm projects, and fish projects are exempt from ban on movement. They are allowed to carry out their work. They should obtain a permit once every week through the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture in coordination with the Security Committee in the region (the region’s police).

5- The curfew does not apply to workers in the charitable societies, volunteers and district centers from 6.00 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The Ministry of Interior stresses that these measures have been taken as part of the Kingdom’s efforts to safeguard the public health and prevent the spread of the coronavirus. The measures are subject to continuous assessment by the competent health authorities.

The ministry calls on everyone to show a sense of individual responsibility and comply with the directives and the quarantine measures in the wider public interest.