Dubai closes down 32 food spots for violating COVID-19 regulations

Over 5,000 food outlets inspected in first 45 days of 2021 comply with protocols

Krystien Meyers
February 17, 2021 5:31 PM

On Tuesday 16, Dubai Municipality ordered the closure of 32 food establishment for violating precautionary measures to combat COVID-19 and issued warning notices to 472 food outlets since the beginning of this year.


Sultan Al Taher, head of Food Inspection Section in the Municipality said “Within 45 days since the beginning of this year, the municipality inspectors had carried out 5,841 field inspection visits to ensure that the food establishments are adhering to the procedures and controls set by the health authorities to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus,” He also added that as many as 5,264 outlets were, in fact, complying with safety protocols.


The most common violations that were detected were non-compliance with social distancing, and not wearing personal safety equipment such as masks and gloves during food preparation, as well as not using approved sterilisation and disinfection materials, said Al Taher.


In January, the civic body had said that it had conducted 69,461 field inspection visits to food establishments in 2020, and temporary closure orders were issued to 451 establishments due to their poor hygiene levels.


HOW CAN CONSUMERS COMPLAIN?

Al Taher called on all community members to contact the municipality’s toll-free number 800900 to report any violations related to food safety, so that the municipality deals with the establishment immediately, and said that the inspection teams carry out routine inspection visits based on consumers’ reports.