UAE announces guidelines for Ramadan Iftar tents

Authorities in the UAE have announced protocols governing the setup of Iftar tents during the holy month of Ramadan scheduled to begin next month.

Permits for Iftar tents have to be obtained prior to set up from the Emirates Red Crescent (ERC), with local committees and National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA) teams in each emirate being authorised to approve the setup of these tents and determine their locations in coordination with the ERC.

تماشياً مع استراتيجية دولة #الإمارات في المحافظة على صحة وسلامة المجتمع في ظل استمرار الأنشطة المختلفة، ودعماً للجهود الوطنية لتحقيق التعافي المستدام وعودة الحياة الطبيعية الجديدة، تُعلن #الطوارئ_والأزمات عن بروتوكول إقامة خيم إفطار صائم لشهر رمضان المبارك.#يدا_بيد_نتعافى pic.twitter.com/Pb30VERMkw

— NCEMA UAE (@NCEMAUAE) March 14, 2022

Iftar tents must be designed in the form of a canopy that is open from all sides or be air-conditioned in addition to incorporating requisite  protection systems. Tent capacity shall be determined by the local committees and teams of each emirate, with the participants to remain at least one metre apart. Provision of security guards or volunteers to organise the entry and exit process must also be ensured. Posters for all entrances and exits must be provided, and handshakes must be avoided during greetings.

Iftar tents should open two hours before Iftar time (Maghrib call to prayer), to avoid congestion, with the mandatory application of the Green Pass system according to the rules in place by each emirate.

Iftar tent organisers or personnel must provide masks and sterilisation tools and direct people to adhere to all precautionary and preventive measures, including mask-wearing, physical distancing, and constant hand sterilisation.

Using disposable table covers is mandatory, according to the protocol which also recommended disposable plates, cups and spoons for each individual while ensuring people sit one meter apart on dining tables, official news agency WAM reported.

Protocols announced by NCEMA, in coordination with its main partners, come in line with the national strategy to maintain public health in light of the resumption of various public activities.

NCEMA noted that all measures announced in the current protocol are subject to modification based on the global and local health situation, and called on the public to cooperate and adhere to pandemic countermeasures.