Riyadh has ordered these businesses to remain closed and barber shops, beauty salons, gyms, cinemas and shisha cafes are among those affected.
The restrictions have been put in place as part of the ongoing Covid-19 restrictions, and they have been implemented as these locations were seen as activities where it was felt social distancing could not be applied sufficiently. Additional activities that remain suspended include sports and health clubs and recreational centres.
As part of the easing of restrictions, which start on Sunday, movement is allowed daily from 7am until 8pm across the kingdom, except in the holy city of Mecca. The kingdom announced 2,171 new cases of coronavirus on Wednesday, taking the total number of infections up to 91,182 – the most in the GCC.
