The mall, which holds the Guinness World Record for being the world's biggest, was shuttered on March 25, along with all others in the United Arab Emirates, as authorities battled to contain the coronavirus outbreak. Many of its outlets went online. But after weeks of strictly enforced lockdown and more than one million people in the UAE tested for coronavirus, according to the government, a phased, cautious reopening of Emirati malls began on April 28.With new limits on trading hours and visitor numbers, Dubai Mall is back in business. But keeping people safe in one of the world's busiest indoor spaces is an ongoing task.
Thermal scanners and footfall cameras
The easing of restrictions took place "following direction and leadership from the UAE government and all concerned authorities," said a spokesman for Emaar, the property firm that owns Dubai Mall. The UAE had a total of 19,661 cases of coronavirus and 203 deaths as of May 13, according to Johns Hopkins University figures, and many precautions are still in place.A raft of safety measures has been introduced with the reopening of Dubai Mall, including a cap of 30% capacity for both visitor and staff numbers to ensure that social distancing guidelines can be maintained. While the mall would normally accommodate around 250,000 visitors a day, the upper limit now is 70,000. Reopening has been timed to coincide with the traditionally quiet weeks of Ramadan. Much of the site remains closed, including entertainment attractions and prayer rooms. Each store that is open must clearly indicate a capacity limit, determined by its size. Masks are now mandatory for shoppers. Mall operators are also using advanced technology to minimize risks. "We have implemented high-spec thermal scanners and footfall cameras at all entry points across the mall," the spokesman said. This system tests the health of visitors as well as enforcing capacity limits.
Global picture
Around the world, malls are beginning to reopen as countries attempt to revive economies struggling under lockdown measures.In the US, Simon, the largest mall operator in the country, has reopened many of its malls and has said it will provide free masks and sanitizing wipes to shoppers who request them.In China, malls have been open for more than a month in some cases but are reportedly struggling to lure consumers back. Across Europe, the picture is mixed with malls still shuttered in many countries but reopening in Turkey with fever checks for shoppers. Greece has announced plans to open malls on June 1.Elsewhere in the UAE, the neighboring emirates of Sharjah and Abu Dhabi have cautiously allowed malls to reopen. Measures at Abu Dhabi's largest mall include testing staff for coronavirus every two hours. 
cnn
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