Bahrain: ‘Positive Response’ to COVID-19 Preventive Measures
Bahrain’s measures to prevent the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) infection is progressing on a healthy path with citizens and residents here responding positively to the lockdown measures installed.
Latest Google data, released to help public health officials understand responses to social distancing guidance related to COVID-19, confirms this trend.
According to the tech giant’s data showing mobility changes, Bahrain recorded a 45 per cent fall in visits to the locations of restaurants, cafes, shopping centres, theme parks, museums, libraries, and movie theatres.
Trips to grocery markets, food warehouses, farmers markets, speciality food shops, drug stores, and pharmacy locations fell 22pc.
The report, based on users’ movements, further shows a 40pc fall in visits to places like national parks, public beaches, marinas, parks, plazas, and public gardens. Mobility trends for places like public transport hubs such as subway, bus, and train stations show a 38pc decline.
Visits to workplaces fell by 25pc, while it shows a 16pc increase in mobility trends for places of residence. The data is compared to a baseline or median value for the corresponding day of the week, during the 5 weeks from Jan 3- Feb 6, 2020.
The move comes as technology companies have been asked by government agencies and health officials to share more data to aid in the coronavirus response.
Bahrain has toughened its fight against coronavirus outbreak by rolling out emergency measures including limiting public gathering and requiring restaurants to function only as take away and delivery services on 17 March 2020.
Health Ministry statistics show, until yesterday, Bahrain has managed to send back 382 people to their homes after ensuring their successful recovery from coronavirus infections.
The recovery rate, which is also highest among the GCC states, is being boosted by measures including contact tracing as well as testing all individuals known to have been in contact with positive cases.
