- Title: No Shisha? Egyptian fanatic faces harsh withdrawal
- Date: 26th March 2020
- Summary: CAIRO, EGYPT (MARCH 23, 2020) (REUTERS) COAL BURNING ON STOVE THERAPIST, ABDALLAH EL-GENDY, LIFTING COAL OFF STOVE GENDY PREPARING SHISHA GENDY WALKING TO PLACE COAL ON TOP OF SHISHA VARIOUS OF GENDY SMOKING SHISHA IN BALCONY (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) THERAPIST, ABDALLAH EL-GENDY, SAYING: "The fact that I'm limited to (smoking) shisha at home is a problem for me because I don't smoke cigarettes. I don't know what to do in my breaks when I'm out, where I could go or how I can unwind. Because in my shisha break, which lasts for half an hour to an hour, I manage to unwind. I take a break from work. This day (when shisha ban was imposed) was the one of the worst days I've been through since the days of the (January 2011) revolution." VARIOUS OF GENDY LOOKING THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA AS HE SMOKES SHISHA (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) THERAPIST, ABDALLAH EL-GENDY, SAYING: "Sitting at a cafe and smoking shisha is part of a routine that helped me take breaks from work. That's why the decision to ban shisha and shut cafes wasn't good for me, it's good from a health perspective of course, because now I smoke less, which is good in a way. But I can't get a break, the (feeling of) uneasiness is increasing because my work is tied to feelings, so when I spend a whole day listening to negative emotions (from patients) and have to deal with this, and at the same time I cannot enjoy myself the only way I know how to, is very difficult. Staying at home also sparks your own negative emotions so I have no escape. This is the negative side of the issue." VARIOUS OF GENDY WATCHING CARTOON ON LAPTOP WHILE SMOKING SHISHA VARIOUS OF GENDY DRIVING CAR TO CAFE WHERE HE USED TO SMOKE SHISHA (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) THERAPIST, ABDALLAH EL-GENDY, SAYING: "I am no longer able to have my morning break, I used to get about an hour, I get my quality time, I relax, I drink my coffee and smoke shisha a bit. Unfortunately, it (the cafe) is now empty, it is tragic." ALEXANDRIA, EGYPT (RECENT) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF EMPTY COFFEE SHOP OWNER OF COFFEE SHOP CLOSING DOOR (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) COFFEE SHOP OWNER, TONY SAMMY, SAYING: "We had to commit to the decision, we closed early. This is all in people's best interest, we don't want to be a reason for spreading this disease. The health of all Egyptians is all important. Of course, everyone is harmed (by decision to shut coffee shops and ban shisha) but it is a crisis and it will hopefully pass." CAIRO, EGYPT (RECENT) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PEOPLE SMOKING SHISHA AT COFFEE SHOP BEFORE DECISION TO BAN SHISHA WAS TAKEN VARIOUS OF BURNING COAL WORKER AT COFFEE SHOP PICKING BURNING COAL TO LIGHT SHISHA SHISHAS
- Embargoed: 9th April 2020 08:38
- Keywords: COVID-19 Coronavirus Curfew Egypt Shisha Smoking
- Location: CAIRO AND ALEXANDRIA, EGYPT
- City: CAIRO AND ALEXANDRIA, EGYPT
- Country: Egypt
- Topics: Living / Lifestyle,Society/Social Issues
- Reuters ID: LVA001C6OWJ13
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Egyptian therapist Abdallah El-Gendy was walking to the coffee shop he frequents to smoke shisha, only to receive the shocking news of a shisha ban to curb the spread of coronavirus.
For the 33-year-old therapist and avid shisha smoker, this is devastating news. He has been smoking shisha since he was 17, and for him, it is the only way to unwind from the pressures of his job.
Gendy is now among thousands of shisha smokers who are confined to smoking at home or have given it up entirely since the ban. He says he misses his only means of entertainment, but the ban has helped him reduce the number of times he smokes per day by a third.
Egypt has declared a curfew from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. for two weeks from Wednesday to prevent the spread of coronavirus, and those who violate the measure will be punished under emergency laws, the prime minister said.
Flights, which were suspended at Egyptian airports on March 19 until the end of the month, will remain grounded for an additional two weeks until April 15.
A closure of schools and universities will also be extended to mid-April, while cafes, sports clubs and gyms will be shut for the next two weeks and restaurants will be restricted to deliveries.
Shops other than food stores and pharmacies will be required to close from 5 p.m. as well as on weekends.
(Production: Ahmed Fahmy, Sherif Fahmy, Osama Naguib, Mai Shams El-Din) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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