The Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA) announced that it is working on reopening nine major vegetable and meat markets in the Abu Dhabi. In order to carry out the process, precautionary measures and health guidelines proposed by ADAFSA will be strictly implemented in coordination with relevant authorities such as Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development, National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Management Authority, NCEMA, Abu Dhabi Health Services Company, SEHA, and Department of Municipalities and Transport. Precautionary measures will ensure the safety and health of the consumers while providing them with the necessary food products.

ADAFSA has also set official timings of the reopening of the market in accordance with the National Sterilization Program. ADAFSA has specified that this initiative does not apply to market stalls, but only limited to a specific number of facilities in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, and Al Dhafra.

Here's a list of markets that will resume operations in Abu Dhabi:

1. Vegetables and meat shops in Mushrif Mall

2. Meat shops in Al Mina market

3. Green market in Bani Yas

4. Green market in Shahama

In addition to this, vegetable and fruit markets and butcher shops will reopen at Souq Al Jabra in Al Ain and the Central Market in Madinat Zayed. Furthermore, the central vegetable and fish market will also restart operations in Ruwais, Al Dhafra. With respect to the timings, vegetable and meat markets will be open to the public from 10 am to 7 pm, while consumers can enter fish markets from 10 am to 5 pm.

Moreover, the authority has issued guidelines for business owners who will reopen their facilities which include:

a) Conducting COVID-19 test for food handlers at SEHA’s accredited centers

b) Ensuring shoppers wear gloves and masks before entering the markets

c) Temperature checks for consumers and preventing entry of those whose temperatures are above 37.5 C

d) Ensuring shoppers volume to be 30% of the market capacity.

e) Providing sanitizers at entrance and exit gates of each market

The market management has also been asked to ensure sanitization of the market's facility daily and effectively. The ADAFSA has asked the management to tighten control over entrance and exit gates in coordination with police patrols, to avoid random entry of consumers. Furthermore, they have to maintain adequate ventilation in the facilities.

Additionally, shop workers have been asked to follow the necessary health precautions by wearing gloves and mask during working hours and preventing customers from touching the products to tackle the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

Besides this, the authority has requested the market management to encourage consumers to use online payment methods to reduce social contact and follow social distancing norms to ensure safety.

With regards to the consumers, they have been urged by the authority to follow guidelines and precautionary measures for a smooth working process at the market facilities. They have been also been requested to not accompany children and older people while shopping and wear masks and gloves all the time.

WAM