Cinemas in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain have closed temporarily, as the emirate issues new measures in the fight against COVID-19.
“In compliance with the government-mandated closure of cinemas in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain, VOX Cinemas will be temporarily closed from Friday, 5 February until further notice. We will be back soon so please stay tuned for updates on reopening,” the brand wrote on Instagram.
Malls and cinema operators reportedly received a circular from the emirate’s authorities about the new restrictions, which also include malls reducing their capacity to 40 per cent. COVID-19 cases have been above 3000 new cases per day over the last several weeks.
Cinemas closed with immediate effect on Friday, and will remain closed until further notice, with no clear date given for their reopening.
Cinemas in other emirates including Dubai remain open, though are operating at 50 per cent capacity in line with local directives. Bars and pubs were closed in Dubai in newly announced mandates, with restaurants operating at a reduced capacity and closing at 1:00 am.
Saudi Arabia made a similar move to Abu Dhabi on Thursday, closing cinemas and other entertainment venues for 10 days. Dine-in services in restaurants, public and private events such as weddings and parties were also suspended for the same amount of time in an effort to stop the spread of the virus.
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