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Bahrain eases coronavirus restrictions, allowing shops to reopen

Beginning Thursday, shops and industrial businesses in the Gulf kingdom can resume business, though some restrictions remain in place.

People wear protective face masks following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), as they walk to shop ahead of the holy month of Ramadan in Manama, Bahrain, April 23, 2020. REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed - RC2CAG9GB8NR
People wear protective face masks following the outbreak of the novel coronavirus as they walk to shop ahead of the holy month of Ramadan in Manama, Bahrain, April 23, 2020. — REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed

Bahrain has joined a growing number of Middle East states in easing its coronavirus restrictions, with shops set to resume business on Thursday, the Health Ministry said. 

All customers and employees are required to wear masks and businesses must reduce the number of people inside their facilities, according to a report from Bahrain’s state-run news agency. Floor markings for queueing at entrances are required to ensure social distancing. 

On March 26, Bahrain shuttered shopping centers and all other non-essential businesses. Movie theaters, sports centers and salons will stay closed under the new guidelines, and restaurants and shisha cafes remain barred from providing table service. 

Grocery stores will continue to set aside their first hour of operation for the elderly and pregnant women. 

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