Police patrols knocking on doors offering free Covid-19 tests to residents in buildings in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National
Police patrols knocking on doors offering free Covid-19 tests to residents in buildings in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National
Police patrols knocking on doors offering free Covid-19 tests to residents in buildings in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National
Police patrols knocking on doors offering free Covid-19 tests to residents in buildings in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National

Five years after Covid-19 was declared a pandemic, the world has changed profoundly


Nick March
  • English
  • Arabic

We all have distinct memories of the onset of the pandemic five years ago.

The first Covid-19 case in the UAE was confirmed at the end of January 2020, but at that time it was possible to think that this would be a temporary bump in the road rather than a full-blown global crisis. How quickly times changed.

By the beginning of March 2020, however, UAE schools took an early spring break as a precautionary measure designed to contain the spread of the virus and were then required to switch to distance learning. On March 11, the World Health Organisation declared it a pandemic. By the end of the month five years ago, a nationwide disinfection campaign had begun and our everyday routines had changed. Somewhere in between those calendar points, it became clear that we were moving into exceptional times.

The rest of the opening phase of what was then termed the “coronavirus” crisis exists for me as a patchwork of non-linear moments: the last day in the newsroom before we switched fully to WFH protocols, the beautiful spring weather that provided the backdrop to those first few days of confusion as we sat at home and the compulsive viewing that the regular TV briefings provided about what was happening across the country.

There were evenings playing board games with family and visits to supermarkets and pharmacies, which felt like incredible and challenging adventures at the time. There were fluffed Zoom calls and also moments of great connection. There were health scares and pockets of personal sadness. This was a period filled with the most visceral and prosaic moments.

Our horizons shrank a little more each time the crisis grew bigger. Each piece of news or updated policy requirement seemed more consequential than the last. Every development took us further towards a so-called “new normal”.

The UAE’s considered approach to the pandemic placed it in the top tier of global resilience indices

What was to become clear later was that the relative universality of experience of the first phase of the pandemic – with its silent streets and stay-at-home orders – stood in marked contrast to how the virus applied itself to each of us.

Some who contracted the virus will have experienced few symptoms, others faced a catastrophic set of circumstances. There may be many who are still dealing with “long” Covid. Some global communities suffered near overwhelming moments of dark tragedy, others were relatively untouched.

Despite the story of Covid-19 being largely told through statistics, caseloads and dashboards, it was a human crisis at heart – and a markedly uneven one.

There was also much to be thankful for, of course. The UAE’s considered approach to the pandemic placed it in the top tier of global resilience indices. The national response was to roll out a comprehensive vaccine programme with a regular testing regimen and combine it with a tech-based response aimed at providing clarity and certainty for citizens and residents.

More generally, this five-year anniversary is a reminder of how quickly memories fade from such consequential times. Most of the infrastructure of the pandemic response is no longer there. Even the vocabulary of the pandemic seems distant and in decline now. Not just new normals, but the complex discussion of new variants arriving in intense and unexpected waves, as well as the requirements for self-isolation, quarantine periods, booster shots, testing regimens and so on.

Occasionally in the back of a drawer at home, I may come across an unopened pack of face masks, which were our constant companions until February 2022, when mandates were initially relaxed. Ever more infrequently, I might still chance upon one of the last reminders of that era: a sticker or a sign in a public space that encourages social distancing. The temporary tents where we used to queue to have a PCR test were disassembled long ago and the dusty lots on to which they were imposed have become just that again.

  • People walk through Union Square Holiday Market, in New York, as the Omicron coronavirus variant continues to spread. Reuters
    People walk through Union Square Holiday Market, in New York, as the Omicron coronavirus variant continues to spread. Reuters
  • A woman receives ballots at a polling station in Taiwan. Reuters
    A woman receives ballots at a polling station in Taiwan. Reuters
  • Health workers perform Covid-19 checks at a drive-through testing centre at Tropical Park, Florida. AP
    Health workers perform Covid-19 checks at a drive-through testing centre at Tropical Park, Florida. AP
  • A child wearing a mask rides on a carousel at a Christmas fair in Bucharest, Romania. AP
    A child wearing a mask rides on a carousel at a Christmas fair in Bucharest, Romania. AP
  • People wear face masks inside Grand Central Market in Los Angeles. EPA
    People wear face masks inside Grand Central Market in Los Angeles. EPA
  • People wait to receive a Covid-19 vaccine doses during a 24-hour “jabathon” in Haringey, London. PA
    People wait to receive a Covid-19 vaccine doses during a 24-hour “jabathon” in Haringey, London. PA
  • A man wearing a festive jacket, tie and matching mask walks through Times Square in New York. Reuters
    A man wearing a festive jacket, tie and matching mask walks through Times Square in New York. Reuters

Many of us will have speculated back then about what would be left behind after the big shock of 2020 and concluded that it would be most things, yet the anecdotal evidence above suggests a different conclusion. A recent piece of commentary in the Financial Times ran with the headline “The pandemic that didn’t change the world”, ranking it well below era-defining moments such as the fall of the Soviet Union and the election of Donald Trump and reminding readers that all times are transient.

A further review might deliver another interpretation. The signposts and structure of the pandemic may have receded, but the pandemic’s legacy is still all around us.

On an individual level, our lives have been thoroughly rewired. While social distancing is no longer a phrase used regularly, spontaneity may be in shorter measure. The pandemic has also made us more aware of self-care and of mental health.

That period may have also fast-tracked our fixation with a world lived on screens. The habits and practices we all formed in the first phase of the pandemic of relentless checking, scrolling and living through digital means have calcified into regular routines with potentially dangerous consequences.

More broadly, the unpredictability and unevenness of the pandemic have set the geopolitical agenda for the entire decade. Global politics are shifting at a far quicker pace than ever before. Notions of isolationism may also have their roots in 2020.

The legacy of five years ago will be with us for years to come.

Company Profile

Company name: Big Farm Brothers

Started: September 2020

Founders: Vishal Mahajan and Navneet Kaur

Based: Dubai Investment Park 1

Industry: food and agriculture

Initial investment: $205,000

Current staff: eight to 10

Future plan: to expand to other GCC markets

Islamophobia definition

A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.

The Vines - In Miracle Land
Two stars

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Normcore explained

Something of a fashion anomaly, normcore is essentially a celebration of the unremarkable. The term was first popularised by an article in New York magazine in 2014 and has been dubbed “ugly”, “bland’ and "anti-style" by fashion writers. It’s hallmarks are comfort, a lack of pretentiousness and neutrality – it is a trend for those who would rather not stand out from the crowd. For the most part, the style is unisex, favouring loose silhouettes, thrift-shop threads, baseball caps and boyish trainers. It is important to note that normcore is not synonymous with cheapness or low quality; there are high-fashion brands, including Parisian label Vetements, that specialise in this style. Embraced by fashion-forward street-style stars around the globe, it’s uptake in the UAE has been relatively slow.

Avatar: Fire and Ash

Director: James Cameron

Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana

Rating: 4.5/5

The specs: 2019 Jeep Wrangler

Price, base: Dh132,000

Engine: 3.6-litre V6

Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic

Power: 285hp @ 6,400rpm

Torque: 347Nm @ 4,100rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 9.6L to 10.3L / 100km

New schools in Dubai
Match info

Uefa Champions League Group C

Liverpool v Napoli, midnight

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
'The worst thing you can eat'

Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.

Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines: 

Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.

Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.

Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.

Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.

Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.

About Takalam

Date started: early 2020

Founders: Khawla Hammad and Inas Abu Shashieh

Based: Abu Dhabi

Sector: HealthTech and wellness

Number of staff: 4

Funding to date: Bootstrapped

Essentials
The flights: You can fly from the UAE to Iceland with one stop in Europe with a variety of airlines. Return flights with Emirates from Dubai to Stockholm, then Icelandair to Reykjavik, cost from Dh4,153 return. The whole trip takes 11 hours. British Airways flies from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Reykjavik, via London, with return flights taking 12 hours and costing from Dh2,490 return, including taxes. 
The activities: A half-day Silfra snorkelling trip costs 14,990 Icelandic kronur (Dh544) with Dive.is. Inside the Volcano also takes half a day and costs 42,000 kronur (Dh1,524). The Jokulsarlon small-boat cruise lasts about an hour and costs 9,800 kronur (Dh356). Into the Glacier costs 19,500 kronur (Dh708). It lasts three to four hours.
The tours: It’s often better to book a tailor-made trip through a specialist operator. UK-based Discover the World offers seven nights, self-driving, across the island from £892 (Dh4,505) per person. This includes three nights’ accommodation at Hotel Husafell near Into the Glacier, two nights at Hotel Ranga and two nights at the Icelandair Hotel Klaustur. It includes car rental, plus an iPad with itinerary and tourist information pre-loaded onto it, while activities can be booked as optional extras. More information inspiredbyiceland.com

Frankenstein in Baghdad
Ahmed Saadawi
​​​​​​​Penguin Press

Winners

Best Men's Player of the Year: Kylian Mbappe (PSG)

Maradona Award for Best Goal Scorer of the Year: Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)

TikTok Fans’ Player of the Year: Robert Lewandowski

Top Goal Scorer of All Time: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)

Best Women's Player of the Year: Alexia Putellas (Barcelona)

Best Men's Club of the Year: Chelsea

Best Women's Club of the Year: Barcelona

Best Defender of the Year: Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus/Italy)

Best Goalkeeper of the Year: Gianluigi Donnarumma (PSG/Italy)

Best Coach of the Year: Roberto Mancini (Italy)

Best National Team of the Year: Italy 

Best Agent of the Year: Federico Pastorello

Best Sporting Director of the Year: Txiki Begiristain (Manchester City)

Player Career Award: Ronaldinho

Tamkeen's offering
  • Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
  • Option 2: 50% across three years
  • Option 3: 30% across five years 
Where to buy

Limited-edition art prints of The Sofa Series: Sultani can be acquired from Reem El Mutwalli at www.reemelmutwalli.com

Tewellah by Nawal Zoghbi is out now.

The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo

The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
​​​​​​​Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km

The biog

Favourite book: You Are the Placebo – Making your mind matter, by Dr Joe Dispenza

Hobby: Running and watching Welsh rugby

Travel destination: Cyprus in the summer

Life goals: To be an aspirational and passionate University educator, enjoy life, be healthy and be the best dad possible.

Muslim Council of Elders condemns terrorism on religious sites

The Muslim Council of Elders has strongly condemned the criminal attacks on religious sites in Britain.

It firmly rejected “acts of terrorism, which constitute a flagrant violation of the sanctity of houses of worship”.

“Attacking places of worship is a form of terrorism and extremism that threatens peace and stability within societies,” it said.

The council also warned against the rise of hate speech, racism, extremism and Islamophobia. It urged the international community to join efforts to promote tolerance and peaceful coexistence.

The specs
Engine: 2.5-litre, turbocharged 5-cylinder

Transmission: seven-speed auto

Power: 400hp

Torque: 500Nm

Price: Dh300,000 (estimate)

On sale: 2022 

UAE SQUAD FOR ASIAN JIU-JITSU CHAMPIONSHIP

Men’s squad: Faisal Al Ketbi, Omar Al Fadhli, Zayed Al Kathiri, Thiab Al Nuaimi, Khaled Al Shehhi, Mohamed Ali Al Suwaidi, Farraj Khaled Al Awlaqi, Muhammad Al Ameri, Mahdi Al Awlaqi, Saeed Al Qubaisi, Abdullah Al Qubaisi and Hazaa Farhan

Women's squad: Hamda Al Shekheili, Shouq Al Dhanhani, Balqis Abdullah, Sharifa Al Namani, Asma Al Hosani, Maitha Sultan, Bashayer Al Matrooshi, Maha Al Hanaei, Shamma Al Kalbani, Haya Al Jahuri, Mahra Mahfouz, Marwa Al Hosani, Tasneem Al Jahoori and Maryam Al Amri

Gulf rugby

Who’s won what so far in 2018/19

Western Clubs Champions League: Bahrain
Dubai Rugby Sevens: Dubai Hurricanes
West Asia Premiership: Bahrain

What’s left

UAE Conference

March 22, play-offs:
Dubai Hurricanes II v Al Ain Amblers, Jebel Ali Dragons II v Dubai Tigers

March 29, final

UAE Premiership

March 22, play-offs: 
Dubai Exiles v Jebel Ali Dragons, Abu Dhabi Harlequins v Dubai Hurricanes

March 29, final

COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Sav%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202021%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Purvi%20Munot%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20FinTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%24750%2C000%20as%20of%20March%202023%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Angel%20investors%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

Director: Laxman Utekar

Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna

Rating: 1/5

Qosty Byogaani

Starring: Hani Razmzi, Maya Nasir and Hassan Hosny

Four stars

SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20NOTHING%20PHONE%20(2a)
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDisplay%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%206.7%E2%80%9D%20flexible%20Amoled%2C%202412%20x%201080%2C%20394ppi%2C%20120Hz%2C%20Corning%20Gorilla%20Glass%205%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EProcessor%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20MediaTek%20Dimensity%207200%20Pro%2C%204nm%2C%20octa-core%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EMemory%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%208%2F12GB%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECapacity%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20128%2F256GB%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPlatform%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Android%2014%2C%20Nothing%20OS%202.5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EMain%20camera%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dual%2050MP%20main%2C%20f%2F1.88%20%2B%2050MP%20ultra-wide%2C%20f%2F2.2%3B%20OIS%2C%20EIS%2C%20auto-focus%2C%20ultra%20XDR%2C%20night%20mode%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EMain%20camera%20video%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204K%20%40%2030fps%2C%20full-HD%20%40%2060fps%3B%20slo-mo%20full-HD%20at%20120fps%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFront%20camera%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2032MP%20wide%2C%20f%2F2.2%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBattery%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%205000mAh%3B%2050%25%20in%2030%20mins%20w%2F%2045w%20charger%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EConnectivity%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Wi-Fi%2C%20Bluetooth%205.3%2C%20NFC%20(Google%20Pay)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBiometrics%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Fingerprint%2C%20face%20unlock%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EI%2FO%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20USB-C%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDurability%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20IP54%2C%20limited%20protection%20from%20water%2Fdust%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECards%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dual-nano%20SIM%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EColours%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Black%2C%20milk%2C%20white%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EIn%20the%20box%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Nothing%20Phone%20(2a)%2C%20USB-C-to-USB-C%20cable%2C%20pre-applied%20screen%20protector%2C%20SIM%20tray%20ejector%20tool%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%20(UAE)%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dh1%2C199%20(8GB%2F128GB)%20%2F%20Dh1%2C399%20(12GB%2F256GB)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs: 2018 Nissan Patrol Nismo

Price: base / as tested: Dh382,000

Engine: 5.6-litre V8

Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic

Power: 428hp @ 5,800rpm

Torque: 560Nm @ 3,600rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 12.7L / 100km

The 10 Questions
  • Is there a God?
  • How did it all begin?
  • What is inside a black hole?
  • Can we predict the future?
  • Is time travel possible?
  • Will we survive on Earth?
  • Is there other intelligent life in the universe?
  • Should we colonise space?
  • Will artificial intelligence outsmart us?
  • How do we shape the future?
Updated: April 23, 2025, 12:19 PM