Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — Inspection teams from Riyadh Municipality have shut down 648 businesses during the past week for violating COVID-19 health protocols, the municipality announced on its Twitter account.

It said on Wednesday 24,000 inspection visits were carried out last week to verify the businesses’ compliance with health and municipal requirements, resulting in the closure of 648 companies.

As per the newly-revised protocols, businesses are required to adhere to precautionary measures which include providing their staff with disinfectants and sanitizers and taking the temperatures of both staff and customers at the entrances of shopping malls.

Other measures include sterilizing shopping trolleys and baskets after each use, sanitizing facilities and surfaces, closing children’s play areas and fitting rooms in shopping malls and ready-wear outlets.

Any gathering of shoppers or workers inside or outside a shopping mall in a way that exceeds the numbers stipulated in the precautionary measures and preventive measures, attracts a penalty of SR5,000 for each person exceeding the stipulated numbers, but not exceeding SR100,000.