Feature: Kuwaitis breathe sigh of relief with further lifting of COVID-19 restrictions

Kuwait started on Tuesday to embark on the second phase of its plan to bring life to normal by reducing curfew hours and opening commercial complexes.

Speaking to Xinhua, Ali Al-Shammari, an overwhelmed Kuwaiti man who was relieved to return to his workplace in the Kuwaiti Ministry of Justice, expressed his happiness to get the normal life he had after three months of absence.

Regarding to the measures taken to prevent the spread of coronavirus, he said that the ministry, like other government bodies, has imposed strict measures such as taking the temperature of employees by thermal cameras, preventing gathering and eating.

Employees are also obligated to wear masks, gloves, and use hand sanitizers which were placed everywhere with the aim of preventing infection, he added.

Meanwhile, most of the governmental institutions have launched an online website allowing residents and citizens to book an appointment.

For Mona Al-Essa, a 29-year-old employee of the Ministry of Public Works, the online appointment is a great decision where it will reduce many burdens on citizens and residents.

"I renewed my driving license within a few minutes through the website of the Ministry of Interior, and received it in a matter of minutes from their location in Al-Ardiya area," she noted.

According to the government's plan to return to normal life, public and private sectors will resume work with less than 30 percent, in addition to the resumption of work in shopping malls, financial sector, construction and building sector, retail shops, parks, and pick-ups from restaurants and cafes.

Two government employees walk to their office at the Ministries Complex in Kuwait City, Kuwait, June 28, 2020

Away from the governmental sector, the private industry witnessed a huge interaction with their employees.

Mohamed Hassan, a 33-year-old Egyptian, showed his gratitude to work resumption that allows him to see his colleagues again after a long period of isolation.

Hassan, who works as a civil engineer in a private company in Al-Mirqab area, told Xinhua that he saw a light after darkness, especially since he lives in Hawally area that was fully isolated from other areas.

With great joy, the Kuwaitis go to shopping malls that open its doors to the public for eight hours a day.

Entering the Avenues, the largest shopping mall in Kuwait, Reem Al-Saad, a 36-year-old Kuwaiti housewife, expressed how much she missed walking and shopping in this mall.

"The precautionary measures imposed on the visitors of this commercial center, such as taking the temperature at the entrances, wearing masks, in addition to closing the smoking rooms, make people feel safe and encourage them to go out and challenge the virus," she said.

A mother helps her son wear gloves in a shopping mall in Hawalli Governorate, Kuwait, June 30, 2020.

As for Ali al-Ashrafi, a 30-year-old Lebanese resident who works as a salesman in a mobile phone shop in the Jabriya area, returning to work is a new life.

"I suffered financially during the last period due to the suspension of sales, but I hope for a better condition in the upcoming weeks," he said.

Kuwait also witnessed a traffic jam on Tuesday as a sign that normal life is returning gradually while waiting for the transition to the next phase of the government plan, until the final and fifth stage, which is expected to start in September.