NINE urgent proposals to prevent the spread of Coronavirus (Covid-19) have been approved by Bahrain’s Parliament.
The proposals, debated over six hours at Parliament’s weekly session yesterday, have been urgently referred to the Cabinet for an immediate review and response.
They include having the government provide sufficient quantities of face masks, sanitisers and other public needs to protect from the virus, increase monitoring of the market to ensure the necessary items and equipment are available at normal prices, and provide special gear to medics and support staff through the Health Ministry.
MPs also want the government to make arrangements for Bahrainis stranded in Iran and ensure they are not infected, as well as shoulder the cost of their stay until their return, and take necessary steps to help possibly infected Bahrainis in Iran until they recover.
Parliament also voted to move all quarantine facilities from residential areas, provide proper quarantines for arrivals at Bahrain International Airport, and open the door for volunteers (unemployed or retired doctors and nurses), certified first aid practitioners and the Bahrain Red Crescent Society.
MPs also voted on a proposal to suspend education at schools and universities for a month, which was immediately approved by the Cabinet but for only two weeks.
Parliament and Shura Council Affairs Minister Ghanim Al Buainain said Bahrain was closely monitoring developments in both China and Iran.
“The Iranian government is known to commit crimes against its own people by hiding information on the virus, but their actions are affecting others,” he said during the session.
“The situation we are facing has been made worse after the disease came here.
“There are many Bahrainis in Iran and as any Bahraini they have the right to return home.
“There is no ban, but the problem is with getting flights as we have no direct flights or diplomatic relations with Tehran; but we are making arrangements.”
Bahrain has suspended all flights arriving from Dubai and Sharjah for 48 hours, after it registered a total of 23 confirmed cases of Covid-19 among citizens and Saudi nationals, all of them detected after returning from Iran.
Meanwhile, Iran’s death toll from the coronavirus rose to 16 on Wednesday, the most outside China.
mohammed@gdn.com.bh
&uuid=(email))