Kuwait to lift partial curfew on first day of Eid Al Fitr

KUWAIT CITY — Kuwait's Cabinet decided on Monday to lift the partial curfew, imposed across the country to combat the spread of coronavirus, beginning on the first day of Eid Al-Fitr, the Kuwait News Agency reported.

The move will come into force at 1:00 a.m., head of the country’s Government Communication Center Tariq Al Mezrim said at a press conference on Monday following the Cabinet meeting.

Meanwhile, all commercial establishments will be ordered to shut from 8:00 p.m. until 5:00 a.m., the next day. Pharmacies, supermarkets, healthcare providers, restaurants, cafes and maintenance services are excluded from the decision, until further notice.

The Cabinet's decision to permit cinemas and theaters to open in Eid will only allow the entry of people who have been vaccinated. Restaurants and cafes will be allowed to receive orders but only for takeaways at their doorstep, he added.

In regards to the physical attendance of employees at public and privately-run workplaces, he said that the ratio should not exceed 60 percent.

This decision will take effect from Monday, May 17, until further notice, following the Eid holiday, he said, with any later increase to this number decided by the Civil Service Commission.

In another move, the Cabinet banned direct commercial flights, except for cargo planes, from Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka until further notice.

In a statement, Kuwait Directorate General for Civil Aviation (DGCA) said it is suspending indefinitely direct commercial flights from Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, except for cargo flights.

The DGCA added in the statement that residents of these countries must spend 14 days in a third country before heading for Kuwait.

The decision has come in line with instructions by the Kuwaiti health authorities, considering the contagion status in such high hazard countries, according to the statement.