Dubai has increased the limit on private gatherings from 10 to a maximum of 30 individuals following a recent update on the emirate’s COVID-19 guidelines that would be implemented starting October 22.

The Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management in Dubai, headed by H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, stresses that while more people are now allowed for social gatherings, it should still comply with specific social distancing rules.

“Homes are allowed to accommodate a maximum of 30 people, subject to compliance with the rule of one person per four square metres of venue space,” said the announcement.

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Wedding receptions have also been allowed to resume in the country that can now be held in hotels, halls, homes, temporary venues, and tents in residential areas effective from October 22, 2020.

The decision enables the community to celebrate social occasions in an environment where precautionary measures are strictly implemented, and high levels of safety are maintained.

The new decision follows the recommendations made by frontline entities to the Committee regarding social events. The Committee stressed the importance of families following precautionary guidelines as part of the comprehensive enforcement of health and safety measures. The guidelines are aimed at protecting the health of the public and ensuring guests are protected from the risk of exposure to the virus.

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Here’s the complete list of guidelines:

– Attendees are required to wear face masks at all times and can remove them only when seated at their tables

– A maximum of five guests are allowed per table

– Attendees should avoid being seated face-to-face and maintain a distance of more than 1.5 metres between each other

– Tables should be placed at least two metres apart from each other

– The duration of the event at halls, hotels, homes, temporary venues and tents should not exceed four hours

– Elderly people and those with chronic conditions should be advised not to attend social functions

– Any person experiencing symptoms such as coughing, or fever must refrain from attending events

A set of mandatory guidelines have been issued to hotels, halls and service providers. All precautionary measures must be strictly implemented at events.

The Supreme Committee said that guidelines related to wedding receptions will be stringently enforced. “Violators will be held accountable for lack of compliance with the rules,” it warned.