By Meshaal Al-Enezi

KUWAIT: In an initiative to support the state's efforts to fight COVID-19 and in collaboration with the Awqaf secretariat general, interior ministry, ministry of social affairs and civil aviation, Kuwait Food Bank announced distributing free meals to citizens returning to Kuwait as part of the largest evacuation process in Kuwait's history.

Kuwait Food Bank General Manager Salem Al-Hamar said: "The food bank has allocated around 50,000 meals to be distributed to returnees at various arrival lounges, starting from disembarking, entering the waiting and medical test lounges, then leaving the airport either to their homes or quarantines". He added that the bank had earned the state's trust by obtaining the ministry of social affairs' permission to provide citizens returning home with meals, beverages and other services.

Hamar explained that the bank has hundreds of well-experienced volunteers fully trained to work in such circumstances, mostly Kuwaitis, who will be deployed at three airport terminals following all the measures taken to prevent the spread of the virus. "Volunteers will work according to daily schedules of the returning flights," he underlined.

Hamar stressed that Kuwait Food Bank will continue to exert utmost efforts to help limit the spread of COVID-19 and ensure the safety of both citizens and residents. He also called for ignoring rumors and urged everyone to stay at home, avoid crowds, follow state bodies' guidelines, not take the matter lightly and avoid unjustified panic by rushing to stock huge amounts of food.