Abu Dhabi drops need for wristband trackers for arriving passengers

People who test positive for Covid-19 are still required to wear a tracker while they quarantine at home

Related: Abu Dhabi to remove test-to-enter from other emirates

Passengers arriving at Abu Dhabi airport will no longer be fitted with electronic wristbands to monitor their home quarantine.

The measure, first introduced in September 2020 to curb the spread of Covid-19, will be dropped from Sunday.

The Abu Dhabi Crisis, Emergency and Disasters Committee said systems will continue to ensure people quarantining at home are compliant.

All international arrivals were required to wear a GPS quarantine wristband until they completed a mandatory period of self isolation and a negative PCR test, which has varied from five to 14 days.

The free medically-approved tag was given to passengers, arriving from all countries, at any Abu Dhabi entry point.

Those measures have since been cut due to declining cases of Covid-19.

On Saturday, the Ministry of Health recorded just 471 new cases of the virus - the lowest daily recorded number of cases since August 2020.

The GPS band will continue to be used for people who test positive for the virus and any close contacts.

Wristband removal services by Abu Dhabi hospital group (Seha) were recently transferred from Mina Zayed on the city's Corniche to the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre. Seha advised people to use Entrance G at Adnec to access the centre, which is open from 8am to 10pm.

Abu Dhabi residents are inoculated at the screening and vaccine centre on the Corniche. A nationwide testing and inoculation campaign is credited with driving down cases. All photos: Victor Besa / The National

Staff and nurses from the Abu Dhabi public hospital group Seha urged the public to protect themselves from Covid-19 by signing up to be vaccinated.

Motorists queue for PCR tests at Seha's testing and vaccination centre on Abu Dhabi's Corniche.

Mass testing and a successful vaccination campaign has helped the UAE to tackle the pandemic.

Drivers wait at a centre that provides both PCR nasal swab tests and coronavirus vaccine doses.

Shenaz Abdul Salam, 13, gives a thumbs up as he waits to receive his first vaccine dose.

A staff nurse fills in a vaccination form for a driver at the Corniche centre.

Mariam Al Badi, an Emirati nurse working at Seha's drive-through vaccine centre, has urged everyone to get inoculated against Covid-19.

Ms Al Badi goes through the vaccination process with a driver.

Cars queue at the drive-through testing and vaccination centre on Abu Dhabi's Corniche.

More than 80 per cent of the UAE population has been vaccinated and the government is urging those who have not to sign up.

An Abu Dhabi resident gives the thumbs up after signing up for vaccination.

Authorities have made the vaccines free for everyone.

A medical worker checks papers as Abu Dhabi residents sign up for the Covid-19 vaccine.

The drive-through Covid-19 testing and inoculation centre has proved popular with Abu Dhabi residents.