Minister of Endowments Mohamed Mokhtar Gomaa has said his ministry developed a plan for re-opening mosques, noting that it will be reviewed by the government's coronavirus crisis management committee early next week.

In a statement released on Tuesday, Gomaa added that this plan was prepared upon directives of Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly before Eid Al-Fitr after citizens showed a great deal of awareness and commitment while performing Tarawih prayers during the holy month of Ramadan and Eid prayers, which had been limited to a small number of worshipers.

The minister explained that heads of the ministry's religious and directorates' sectors were ordered to take all necessary precautionary measures to ensure a safe distance between worshipers at mosques.

The government has shuttered mosques and churches nationwide last March in a bid to contain the spread of the coronavirus

Meanwhile, Gomaa noted that the Endowments Ministry will begin Saturday to distribute 320,000 meters of prayer rugs to all directorates across the nation.