As we get back to normal in the UAE, COVID-19 restrictions are more important than ever.
Those who don’t them seriously have paid the price. Dubai Municipality has closed down 53 eateries so far in 2021 for flouting COVID-19 restrictions.
The most high-profile temporary shut down was CZN Burak, which was closed for a weekend in February before reopening with increased safety standards and enforcement procedures.
That’s not all, as 1,133 have been issued warnings.
The restrictions cover transporting, storing, preparing and displaying food products and materials.
The vast majority of restaurants in Dubai are doing a great job, however. The head of food inspection for Dubai, Sultan Al Taher, said that 13,775 inspections have taken place so far this year, with 12,438 complying with all requirements.
That means only around 8 percent of Dubai’s restaurants have received warnings.
The biggest violations were failure to adhere to social distancing, and failure to wear personal safety equipment such as masks and gloves during food preparation, and not using approved sterilisation and disinfection materials.
Al Taher also added that the municipality’s inspection teams carry out several routine inspection visits, based on the reports received from consumers, and also fine the violators.
“During their visits, the municipality inspectors check the daily follow-up records of workers’ hygiene, the sterilisation and disinfection operations, in addition to ensuring that food safety requirements are applied while receiving food items, food preparation, storage, display at healthy temperatures, and the application of hygiene and sterilisation procedures, to prevent cross-contamination as well as pest control operations,” said Al Taher.
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