KUWAIT: Head of the government's communication center and the Cabinet's official spokesperson Tareq Al-Merzam confirmed a report Al-Rai published on Thursday concerning a government plan on the gradual return to Kuwait of expatriates with valid residencies. Speaking to the press after the Cabinet meeting, Merzam said that some state departments have filed requests to the COVID-19 supreme committee to allow their stranded expat employees to return from certain countries.

Merzam linked lifting the ban on receiving returnees from 32 countries to health authorities' instructions, noting that resuming flights from the countries listed on the ban list is primarily up to the health ministry's opinion. Responding to a question about opening land borders, Merzam also referred the matter to health authorities. "We are still waiting for health ministry instructions and how ready it is to reopen land borders," he added, noting that land borders are already open for incoming trade and food imports.

Responding to a question on whether he was optimistic with the approach of lifting the partial curfew from Sunday, Merzam stressed everyone should remain cautious, especially since global statistics show the virus is still spreading and the number of infections is starting to accelerate once more. "Therefore, we call for total caution and implementing all precautionary measures and urge all citizens and residents to contribute in achieving this," he concluded.

One week quarantine?
While the total number of countries from which passengers are banned from directly flying to Kuwait increased to 32 after adding commercial flights from Afghanistan, informed health sources told Al-Rai daily that the health ministry is considering cutting the mandatory quarantine period for arriving passengers to one week instead of 14 days. The sources added that the proposal is being studied by the health ministry's relevant bodies and expected the final decision to be made by next week.

Meanwhile, the sources explained that the health ministry's decision to suspend the salaries of some medical staff members stranded abroad only applies to those were deliberately late in returning to Kuwait, and are thus considered absent without due or legal cause. "Therefore, related rules and provisions about employees who fail to show up to work without permission apply to these staff members," the sources added, noting that the health ministry has already started listing staff members abroad and filing for exemptions to allow them to return.