Life began to return to normal in Saudi Arabia as of June 2020, following a three-month lockdown that aimed to curb the spread of the coronavirus, but this return lasted no more than seven months, as the rate of infections increased, foretelling a new confinement scenario.
Two weeks after the mid-term school vacation in January, the indicators of Covid-19 infections began to register a significant increase, pushing the Ministry of Health to call for committing to precautionary measures.
On social media platforms, many began to sense the danger of the virus, and even expect the lockdown to be imposed with the rise of infections.
Several measures taken by the Saudi authorities this week reminded of the beginning of the outbreak of the virus, when travel to and from several countries was suspended temporarily.
Earlier this week, the Kingdom banned the entry of travelers from 20 countries to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
Exceptions to the ban, which began on Wednesday, included diplomats, and medical staff and their families.
In addition, Saudi authorities prohibited the holding of events and parties, including weddings, corporate meetings and banquets for an extendable period of 30 days.
The difference between today and last year, when the virus began to hit the country, is the experience that created knowledge and awareness in society, so that repercussions could be anticipated and thus prevented.
This was reflected in various sectors, as many commercial activities and restaurants suspended direct services out of a sense of responsibility, private companies resorted to remote work without an official decision that compels them to do so, while markets and stores required their customers to have the dedicated Tawakkalna application on their phones.
