Stores, malls, and restaurants to shut early in Egypt for two weeks, including Eid, as Cairo battles resurgent Covid-19

Egypt’s prime minister has announced a new set of Covid-19 restrictions that will run for a fortnight to slow the spread of the virus during the last days of Ramadan and the Eid celebrations to follow.

Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said the government’s Covid-19 management committee had taken several decisions to deal with a resurgent virus as the holiday of Eid al-Fitr approaches. 

“From tomorrow, May 6 to May 21, we will close all shops, malls, cafes, restaurants, cinemas and theaters at 9 o’clock in the evening to greatly reduce the crowding witnessed in these places,” Madbouly said. 

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Large gatherings and concerts will also be banned over the period, with beaches and parks shut between May 12 and 16, Madbouly stated. The Eid celebrations, which will take place on May 12 and 13, this year fall in the middle of the government’s two-week-long period of restrictions.

“At the same time, a home delivery service will be allowed … but during the next two weeks, any meetings, conferences, events, or artistic celebrations will be prohibited in any facilities,” the PM added. 

The government’s decision comes as the virus begins to spread again in Egypt, and amid fears of one of the most important dates in the Islamic calendar further exacerbating the problem.

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