Abu Dhabi issues guidelines for reopening playzones and entertainment centres in malls

The Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED) has permitted entertainment centres and gaming halls, located within malls to reopen.

ADDED stated in a circular issued on Wednesday that these facilities will be allowed to operate only at 60 per cent of their capacity.

All employees must undergo a Covid-19 test before these centres reopen, and their temperatures must be checked frequently during the day.

An intensive sterilisation of these facilities must be undertaken throughout the day. Handles, steering wheels, buttons and sticks frequently touched by children must be cleaned with strong disinfectants.

.@AbuDhabiDED issues guidelines on the reopening of entertainment centres and gaming halls in #AbuDhabi, following the implementation of preventative measures. These locations will operate at 60% capacity, in line with limits set out for all outlets at shopping malls. pic.twitter.com/tjX3wpSHhs

— مكتب أبوظبي الإعلامي (@admediaoffice) September 23, 2020

Staff and customers are required to maintain a distance of two metres from each other and masks are mandatory for all staff and customers, with employees additionally required to wear gloves too.

The facilities were instructed to deny entry to any visitor showing symptoms of Covid-19, or to those who are not wearing masks.

ADDED also laid out rules for specific areas within these playzones such as ball pits. These should not exceed 30 per cent of the total game capacity, with deep sterilisation of the place of plastic ball games undertaken every hour and at the beginning and end of each day.

Rashed Abdul Karim Al Balooshi, under-secretary of ADDED, said that the decision to reopen these centres falls within the procedures and circulars recently issued by ADDED for the return and resumption of economic activities in Abu Dhabi.

“The restoration of amusement and entertainment centres and electronic gaming venues represent an important step towards revitalising the community and the gathering areas of the members of the Abu Dhabi community and providing safe and entertaining means to enhance the public’s confidence to return to recreational and tourism activities,” said Al Balooshi.