A senior Abu Dhabi health official is urging UAE residents travelling for the Eid Al Fitr break to take a Covid-19 test after arriving back in the country.
Dr Shereena Al Mazrouei, department manager of health promotion at Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre, told The National that although it was not mandatory, this was good practice particularly if people lived with an elderly or high-risk family member.
Residents are getting ready to enjoy the first Eid break without major coronavirus restrictions since 2019, but Dr Al Mazrouei said the virus was still around and major gatherings still represented a challenge.
"We know this is a long Eid break," Dr Al Mazrouei said. "People may travel, go to the mall or go to an event – especially those who have been isolated for so long. But we should not disregard the ability of people who are coming from abroad or an event to bring the infection.
"We would recommend that people traveling do a PCR and at least keep a physical distance of one meter from others for a few days.”
Eid preparations around the world
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A girl looks at bangles as people shop for Eid Al Fitr in Karachi, Pakistan. AP -
A worker prepares vermicelli, a sweet dish traditionally served during the holiday, in Allahabad, India. Getty Images -
Palestinian workers at a factory in Jabalia prepare sweets known as "halkoum", to be sold before Eid Al Fitr, in Gaza City. Getty Images -
Festive lighting decorates the streets in Geylang Serai, before Eid Al Fitr, also known as Hari Raya Puasa, in Singapore. Reuters -
A broken-down car on a motorway as Malaysian Muslims travel home to celebrate Eid Al Fitr, in Gombak, Malaysia, April 29, 2022. Picture taken with long exposure. Reuters -
Decorative lights for Eid celebrations, at the World Trade Centre roundabout in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National -
Preparing sweets in the old city of Nablus, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Reuters -
Shoppers throng a market in Karachi, Pakistan. EPA -
Trying on second-hand clothes before Eid Al Fitr in Peshawar, Pakistan. EPA -
Shopping for clothes in preparation for Eid Al Fitr in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Reuters -
A Yemeni prepares decorated Arabic tables for sale ahead of Eid Al Fitr. EPA -
Syrians shop at a market in Raqa as Muslims prepare to celebrate Eid. AFP -
The Eid Al Fitr holiday marks the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan. AFP -
Yemenis buy Eid clothes in a mall in the capital Sanaa. AFP -
Eid shoppers in Srinagar, India. EPA -
Fruit and veg on sale at the Waterfront Market in Deira, Dubai, before the Eid Al Fitr holidays. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
People wait to buy train tickets before the holiday at Kamalapur station in Dhaka, Bangladesh. EPA -
Palestinian women in Hebron make traditional date and nut-filled biscuits in preparation for Eid Al Fitr. AFP -
Passengers wait for trains to their home villages at the Senen station in Jakarta, Indonesia. AP -
A traffic jam in Jakarta as Indonesian Muslims return to their hometowns for Eid Al Fitr, known locally as ‘Mudik’. Reuters -
A jewellery showroom before Eid Al Fitr in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir. AFP -
Omanis shop for Eid Al Fitr gifts in the governorate of Samail, about 80 kilometres south-west of Muscat. AFP -
A tailor sewing garments for Eid Al Fitr in Peshawar, Pakistan. EPA -
Cattle for sale at a market in Aceh, Indonesia. EPA -
Yemeni sweet sellers wait for customers at a market in Sanaa. EPA -
A worker cleans up a street before Eid Al Fitr in the old city of Sanaa, Yemen. EPA -
Mackerel-smoking before Eid at a workshop in Rafah. AFP -
Palestinian children with toys given to celebrate Eid Al Fitr in the West Bank. EPA -
Vermicelli-drying in Peshawar, Pakistan. EPA -
Shopping for Eid Al Fitr at a market in Karachi, Pakistan. EPA -
A cobbler makes traditional Peshawari chappal shoes before Eid Al Fitr in Peshawar, Pakistan. EPA -
Customers shopping for fish at the Waterfront Market in Deira, Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Dr Al Mazrouei also recommended limiting social gatherings to family members and urged people to wear a mask and keep a distance of at least a metre while around elderly and high-risk family members.
Case numbers have been declining in the UAE and authorities have lifted many Covid-19 rules. Abu Dhabi on Thursday lifted all capacity limits at malls and events and extended the validity of a PCR test on the Al Hosn smartphone app to 30 days. But it is still mandatory to wear a mask indoors across the UAE.
“The number of cases is ... at a low level and we're hoping for this number to keep on decreasing and that the infection rate becomes less,” she said.
Public sector workers will have a full week's holiday to celebrate Eid Al Fitr.
Private sector employees will enjoy a holiday from Ramadan 29 – Saturday, April 30 – until Shawwal 3, either Tuesday, May 3, or Wednesday, May 4, depending on the sighting of the Moon.
