Sharjah Police increase patrols over Eid Al Fitr

Officials said 365 police patrols would ensure compliance with safety measures

Officer Mohammed Alshehhi passes beneath a disinfection gate at Sharjah Industrial Area Police Station. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Loudspeakers will be used to remind Sharjah residents of the Covid-19 safety measures in place to protect them during Eid Al Fitr, as police step up their patrols.

During a briefing on Friday, government officials said 365 police patrols would operate throughout the day to ensure compliance with safety measures.

Officers will patrol between 8pm and 6am to make sure people are staying home during disinfection hours.

“This Eid will be welcomed under delicate circumstances, and the sterilisation process will continue with intensive procedures,” said Maj Gen Saif Al Shamsi, commander-in-chief of Sharjah Police.

He said police teams were working around the clock to ensure precautionary measures were being upheld at labour accommodation and workplaces and, if not, to issue fines.

Thabet Al Tarifi, director general of Sharjah Municipality, said the nationwide disinfection campaign would continue to be carried out along roads, in government buildings and in residential, commercial and industrial areas.

“To date, 330,000 sterilisation hours have been completed by a team of 1,200 workers, supervisors and engineers during the national disinfection programme,” he said.

Mr Al Tarifi said that strict measures have been taken to protect municipality workers from infection, including giving them personal protection equipment and installing disinfection gateways for them to walk beneath at the end of their shift.

“We also arrange periodic screenings for the disinfection programme workers,” he said.

Maj Gen Al Shamsi said the biggest challenge was ensuring everybody was aware of the measures in place.

“We face challenges with workers from different backgrounds but we are doing our best to spread the awareness about the health and safety precautions with help from different authorities and the workers' employer.”

He said the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation and community associations were helping by distributing educational material.

“We will use loudspeakers in neighbourhoods to remind the public about the precautionary measures as we can’t enter their houses and we ask the families to follow the regulations and help to spread the awareness,” Maj Gen Al Shamsi said.

He said intensive testing was being carried out across the emirate’s 18 industrial areas.

“We have a team that performs tests at 30 labour accommodations and we found cases but it is not that widespread.”