The reopening of places of worship will be rather limited, in a first phase, the only mosques that can accommodate more than 1000 believers.

The Algerians were found Saturday, the pleasures of the beach and coffee, and the faithful in their mosques, after five months of confinement due to the coronavirus. “The atmosphere at home became unbearable with the children who were bored, I could,” said Soraya, a release this Saturday morning very early with his neighbor, Fatima and the children to spend the day at the beach.

Umbrella under the arm, Fatima had prepared sandwiches for everyone. “I’ve done everything for me to be able to spend the day at the water’s edge”. Excited at the idea of being able to go to finally swim in the sea, one of the children pulls on the hand of his mother to cut short the conversation.

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Some of them had accelerated in recent days the official reopening to go to the beach. Soraya admits to having had the desire to commit the forbidden, but the fear of being verbalized dampened his enthusiasm. Besides, everyone is wearing the mask, which is mandatory. Offenders are liable for heavy fines.

The security services are responsible for ensuring the respect of wearing a mask, which is mandatory in public since may 24, and instructions of distancing between the bathers. In shorts and sports shoes, the police patrol the beaches on foot or by quad. The mounted police sailed also the beaches this summer.

The access to the beaches is a “very good news for a population that is suffocating and that the risk of losing his psychological balance”, plead the initiators of a petition on the social networks that calls for the reopening of two large beaches of the capital, the Club des Pins and Moretti, reserved, until recently, to the nomenklatura local.

Mosques without women

in addition, the largest mosques in Algeria are once again on the faithful. However, the great prayer of Friday, will remain prohibited until such time that the health situation will not be totally mastered. The reopening of places of worship shall be limited, in a first phase, the only mosques that can accommodate more than 1000 believers. These latter are required to wear the mask.

cleaning Operation in a mosque of Algiers August 15, 2020

RYAD KRAMDI / AFP

The operations of cleaning and disinfection of places of worship have taken place this week with the participation of many volunteers. In some mosques the carpets have been removed, in others they have been covered with plastic. Each of the faithful must bring with him his prayer mat, if not we give him a carpet disposable.

On the other hand, the women, the children under 15 years of age and vulnerable persons are not permitted, for the moment, to go and pray. Some practitioners encountered in the popular district of Bab El Oued in Algiers, do not understand this “discrimination to prayer”. The mosques – such as parks, schools and universities, sports stadiums and halls – were completely shut down since march 19. Swimming pools, steam rooms and halls remain.

“exceptional Circumstances”

cafes and restaurants re-opened also on Saturday, at least for those who have not put the key under the door after months of closure. But the government warned that these measures could be challenged in case of aggravation of the health situation.

Despite the joy of the Algerians, the sociologist Zoubir Arous warns against a new wave of Covid-19 related to a re-opening “rushed” decided “in the offices”. “I understand that those who live 20 in a two-piece can do more, but we are faced with an exceptional situation”, he explains.

The government has extended, until August 31, the containment partial to home in 29 of the 48 wilayas (prefectures) of the country. A curfew remains in force from 23 hours to 6 hours local. The containment has been lifted in the other 19 provinces (wilayas).

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In total, nearly 37 700 cases of Covid-19 were officially declared on algerian soil since the registration of the first case on 25 February, according to the latest balance sheet of the ministry of Health. More than 1350 deaths have been identified, which makes Algeria the third is the most affected country in Africa behind Egypt and South Africa.