Exchange companies in the UAE have started taking precautionary measures to combat the spread of the new Corona virus, especially after they are excluded from the decision to close commercial establishments taken by Dubai Economic, which requires the closure of all commercial establishments in Dubai for a period of two weeks starting today, in accordance with the directives issued by the Ministry of Health, Community Protection and the Authority National Emergency and Crisis.
The precautionary measures included determining the working hours of the branches of exchange companies that are located inside the commercial centers in coordination with the management of the centers, sterilizing the headquarters and all branches, and determining the presence of a number of people inside the one branch according to the absorptive capacity of the branch, and allowing a distance between people of not less than one and a half meters to prevent Transmission of the infection. Precautionary measures also include the intensification of the use of machines and machines to count and sterilize cash on an ongoing basis, as well as the commitment of employees to wear masks and gloves, either when dealing with the public or during the processes of arranging cash at branches.
The exception of exchange firms comes in the decision to close due to the need of its clients for the service of transferring money to their families in other countries, which is witnessing great demand, especially with the approaching of the end of the month and the date of transferring salaries to employees, which leads to not disrupting the social conditions of families and families whose families live and work in the UAE.
The Chairman of the Board of Directors of Al Ansari Exchange, Muhammad Al Ansari told Emirates Today that the precautionary measures also included reducing dependence on direct work from the headquarters and giving some employees the ability to conduct their business from each other to reduce friction inside the headquarters, indicating that the headquarters and branches are sterilized periodically And warning the public not to intensify the presence inside the branch to enhance the social divergence that reduces the spread of infection with the emerging corona virus (Covid 19), stressing that the demand will increase over the use of money transfer services provided by exchange companies. And revealed the decline in demand for the process of converting and changing currencies, which witnessed a significant decline with the halt of travel and the decline in tourist starch.
He said that there are specific controls taken in the context of precautionary measures, including reducing the number of dealers inside the same branch during a specific period of time and avoiding the accumulation of auditors, as well as the use of sterile and disinfected materials permanently and the use of machines and machines to count cash, stressing that employees were obligated to wear masks and gloves, whether When dealing with the public or during the branches' cash counting arrangements.
Al-Ansari said that the process of transferring funds abroad is a vital activity for a large segment of society, especially since some cannot use electronic methods to transfer the funds necessary to help the families of residents in their countries, noting that the end of the month usually witnesses intense activity for financial transfers, and that failure to provide a service Conversion may confuse the lives of many.
According to the Dubai Economic Decision, the branches of banks, banks and exchange firms continue to perform the usual work, unless a regulatory decision is issued by the central bank, where they can all carry out their usual activities, with the need to take the necessary precautionary and preventive measures, including sterilization and social divergence to receive the public And organize the role between clients. Dubai Economy stressed that it will implement inspection campaigns to ensure that all commercial establishments adhere to all the provisions mentioned in the closing circular.
Mohamed Al Ansari pointed out that a daily evaluation process of the situation takes place in the company, especially the developments of the spread of Corona disease and its effects on economic and social life, noting that the current situation is a new experience for exchange companies that are currently working to provide only the necessary services and reduce some of their services, noting that The working hours of the branches operating inside the commercial centers were partially reduced due to the reduction in the centers' work, while the independent branches continue to provide their services at the same previous pace before the emerging crisis of the Corona virus.