Mosques, Gardens, and Giza Zoo Among Places Set to Reopen in Egypt This Week
By Nour El-Miligi
As part of the government’s gradual lift of restrictions, it has been announced that the Friday prayer that has been halted since March 21 will soon resume welcoming worshippers again starting August 28th. But this return surely is regarded as a big step, and that’s why the Minister of Religious Endowments Mohamed Gomaa has put forward a strict sterilizing plan to ensure everyone’s safety during the weekly prayer. Sterilization processes have been carried out all over the mosques from Monday to Thursday preparing to reopen mosques for worshippers, all while keeping social distancing signs in place.
During a press conference on Wednesday, Minister Mostafa Madbouly tackled the preventive plan that includes 13 measures that are to be seriously followed: social distancing, wearing face masks, using your own rug, mosques are to open only 10 mins prior to the prayer and must close immediately after, sermons to have a maximum limit of 10 mins, in addition to many other measures. While the decision attempts to relax the partial lockdown, celebratory halls attached to places of worship and toilets of the mosques remain shut to date, with shrines and funeral prayers banned until further notice. Mosques that fail to adopt the plan will automatically be prohibited from carrying on with the weekly Friday prayer.
Meanwhile, the Giza Zoo and a number of popular gardens in Cairo like Giza’s Orman garden and the Aquarium Grotto in Zamalek will reopen for the public starting tomorrow. Preventive measures will still apply for visitors to have safe garden visits.
