Health Minister Faika bint Saeed Al Saleh has called on everyone to continue with determination to adhere to the precautionary and preventive measures during Eid Al Adha to limit the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19).

The ministry, in in coordination and cooperation with all concerned parties, is continuing its efforts to confront the virus, which will contribute to preserving the health and safety of the citizens and residents of Bahrain, she said.

Eid Al Adha, the Feast of the Sacrifice, will be marked over several days starting Friday. It traditionally involves the exchange of visits between families and friends and holding large gatherings.

However, the authorities have been urging citizens and residents to change their Eid habits exceptionally this year and exercise the highest levels of caution through social distancing and mask wearing to help in the national fight to mitigate and confront COVID-19.

The minister extended her best wishes to His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, His Royal Highness Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, the Prime Minister, His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister, Bahrain and the Arab and Islamic nations on Eid Al Adha.

She stressed that the national efforts led by HRH Prince Salman are moving forward in a manner that preserves the health and safety of citizens and residents.

Everyone’s commitment to responsible behavior and approaches is an important pillar for the success of all plans as it complements efforts, decisions and recommendations and contributes to achieving the set goals, she added.

The minister stressed that the responsible commitment to the precautionary and preventive measures is a national duty for every individual in order to protect themselves, their families and their community and to maintain public safety. It also reflects the conscious societal behavior in fighting the virus, she said.

The minister called for suspending some customs and traditions associated with Eid Al Adha, including family gatherings, exceptionally in order to avoid the spike in the contact cases that occurred during and after Eid Al Fitr in May.

Social visits and gatherings are deep rooted in Bahrain's customs and traditions, but as exceptional circumstances call for exceptional measures, they should be avoided this year as they currently pose risks to public health and may significantly cause the transmission and spread of the virus, she said.

The minister stressed the importance of wearing masks, social distancing and regular sanitization to protect the community members, especially the elderly and those who suffer from underlying health diseases.

Bahrain's experience in responding to the pandemic and the large preparations it made have been of the highest standards and highly efficient, which contributed to making the Kingdom an outstanding model for enhancing health and safety.

The community must preserve such achievements through active partnership for the sake of addressing the pandemic to reach the goals of the National Campaign for Combating the Coronavirus (COVID-19), she said.