The Kuwaiti Cabinet held its weekly session at Seif Palace on Monday chaired by His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah.

After the meeting, Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Anas Al-Saleh made the following statement.

The cabinet offered its sincere congratulations to the Kuwaiti leadership, namely His Highness the Amir and His Highness the Crown Prince, and to the Kuwaiti people on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the National Day, and the 30th anniversary of Liberation Day, recalling the great sacrifices made by the Kuwaiti people to defeat the Iraqi invasion and adherence to its legitimacy as a nation.

The Council also extends its appreciation and gratitude to the blessed efforts made by brothers and friends to liberate the State of Kuwait and purify it from the invading forces.

Then the cabinet followed up on the latest developments related to the Coronavirus pandemic and listened in this regard to a briefing by Minister of Health Sheikh Dr. Basil Hmoud Al-Sabah on the health situation in the country, including details of the overall statistics and non-positive indicators that confirm the recent high numbers of infection cases compared to the number of swabs.

The cabinet also were briefed on the remarkable increase in the number of fatalities, which brings the total to 1,049 deaths, in addition to an increase in the number of people receiving treatment in hospitals and the percentage of intensive care occupancy, which warns of the need to take strict measures to limit the spread of this pandemic.

In this regard, the cabinet reviewed recommendations by the Ministerial Committee for Coronavirus emergencies and the cabinet decided the following:

First:

1 - Closing the land and sea borders, with the exception of shipping operations and workers in the divided zone and their relatives.

2 - To allow the return of citizens from land and sea borders, their first-degree relatives, and their companions, which may include domestic workers.

3 - Assigning Ministry of Interior, General Administration of Customs to implement the provisions of the decision, which shall be enforced as of this Wednesday, February 24, 2021, until further notice.

Second:

Prohibiting the attendance to all kinds of restaurants and cafes, malls, including those inside shopping centers, with the exception of external orders and delivery services which will continue to operate, and the decision shall be enforced as of Wednesday February 24, 2021, until further notice.

Third:

1- The number of workers in government workplaces must not exceed 30 percent, and each government agency shall determine the appropriate percentage for it in a way that does not exceed these limits in accordance with the requirements of the public interest and work conditions.

2- The private sector must adhere to the percentage of the number of workers in the workplace by no more than 50 percent.

3- Full commitment in all cases to health preventive measures set by the competent health authorities, as well as procedures, rules, flexible working hours and remote work in accordance with the manual of policies and procedures for the gradual return to work issued by the Civil Service Bureau.

4 - The decision effective from Wednesday 24 February until further notice.

Fourth:

Forcing public transportation to adhere to the number of passengers, which should not exceed 30 percent of the total carrying capacity in buses, with a commitment to apply the health and preventive measures in force by the Ministry of Health in this regard, effective from Wednesday 24 February 2021, until further notice.

Fifth:

1- The council was informed on the mechanism adopted by the Public Authority for Sports and the Kuwaiti Olympic Committee regarding the proposed guarantees on health requirements to sports facilities and athletes during the sporting activity in the country.

2- Assigning the General Sports Authority, in coordination with each of (Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Health, and Kuwaiti Olympic Committee) to take measures necessary to implement the mechanism needed.

Sixth:

Forming a joint committee headed by the Ministry of Interior and membership of each of (Ministry of Health, General Administration of Civil Aviation) to oversee the mechanism for applying the institutional quarantine applied to all arrivals to the country.

Seventh:

The approval for the Ministry of Health request regarding the use of the third batch of medical staff from the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, including doctors, nursing and technical staff, and assigning the Ministry of Health to coordinate with (Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the General Administration of Civil Aviation) in this regard.

The Cabinet also affirmed on the importance of continuing to apply precautionary measures and preventive measures, applying social distancing standards, avoiding gatherings, and increasing caution to limit the spread of the Coronavirus, especially to elderly and patients with chronic diseases.

The Council of Ministers also stressed the need for citizens and residents to adhere to the Cabinet's decision to prevent gatherings and celebrations of national holidays, in order to avoid risks of infections.