Egypt announces set of precautionary measures during Ramadan

On Tuesday, the Egyptian government announced a set of precautionary measures that would be imposed during the Holy fasting month of Ramadan.

In a statement, the Coronavirus Crisis Ministerial Committee announced that It had allowed in-mosque daily prayers and mass night prayers "Taraweeh" during Ramadan with the adoption of all the precautionary measures against COVID-19.  The committee stressed that the“Taraweeh” prayers should not exceed half an hour.

It also announced that the Ramadan charity banquets - that used to be held publicly in the streets - won’t be allowed and that late-night prayers "Tahajjud" or the seclusion in the mosques for a period of time in Ramadan “Itikaf” won’t be allowed either.

The ban on big assemblies, like memorials, in mosques and streets, is still in place.

In Ramadan 2020, the Egyptian government allowed "Taraweeh" prayers in some authorized mosques with a few worshipers and banned it nationwide. It also banned the “Tahajjud”, “Itikaf” and Ramadan charity banquets last year as well.

Health Minister Hala Zayed already showcased in the meeting the difference between the number of cases in Egypt during the first and second wave as well as how Egypt witnessed the highest number of coronavirus cases in Ramadan 2020.

The holy month of Ramadan is set to start on 13 April 2020.

The committee also allowed the resumption of different sports events for students but banned Ramadan sports tournaments, that were usually held during the holy month, whether in open or closed areas.

The committee decided to apply the summer working hours starting from 17 April, allowing cafes and restaurants to stay open for longer at night.

According to previous Cabinet decisions, restaurants and cafes will be opened till 1 AM and shops till 11 PM in the summer.