![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/E6JCG5UDOGTTMLAAYQADEU77MY.jpg?smart=true&auth=fff046b0e95a6742f23657c7e4719d90f38296aaec76c84885c3aa1a5c7e238f&width=400&height=225)
Children's face masks for sale at LC Waikiki shop in Al Wahda Mall, Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa /The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/ICG56HSISG2YQLL2SHTCHXDDJI.jpg?smart=true&auth=d125afc18233b1b9b39c86f8817050cdd3c2127ee00a65827f729b89aa29cf30&width=400&height=225)
Twins Ghazal (left) and Yara Ghnimat pictured shopping for masks at Mall of the Emirates before their return to school earlier this month. Chris Whiteoak / The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/UFAYEPYBICNJBDOJK2HNUAD2J4.jpg?smart=true&auth=117636b2d59367aea468edd05560feac39c8d6b5ee4c2779ce6a4ec27d92a2be&width=400&height=225)
The Ghnimat family shops for back-to-school equipment at Mall of the Emirates. Chris Whiteoak / The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/E3WPKUSKOFPZLCGYAP7GEZPJDY.jpg?smart=true&auth=fd29ee1a9c0c855789f6d40abcc7ddd2c8c978f58a8d4206c2378c427f552e83&width=400&height=225)
Dorsai Khaghani says she spent hundreds of dirhams on colourful face masks for her five-year-old daughter Karla. Chris Whiteoak / The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/ROZ7ZWIKMJQPXYDJ7LWO3XUJNQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=772623730803a394ecd054f3b9a07519b7ff188a213aba82daca5af2c2498be9&width=400&height=225)
Patricia, aged 6, with her newly purchased face masks at the LC Waikiki shop in Al Wahda Mall, Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa /The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/P5PFUPH5W4ZYFBQYVEMOM34AWM.jpg?smart=true&auth=6dbe47376db890610e8d8c336deccf8c42fe7ca565fa6166d6a627b092b7fc6a&width=400&height=225)
Masks on sale at Claire's Accessories in Mall of the Emirates. Retailers said they had sold thousands of child-sized masks in recent days. Chris Whiteoak / The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/HEQN7XGDHGW5Y7VJHTGDJPDEEI.jpg?smart=true&auth=a057daa60c7de6ebb7aea40761f630559e0c96ee8e85827dad43c50f48fc2bf8&width=400&height=225)
Children's face masks and face sheilds for sale at LC Waikiki shop in Al Wahda Mall, Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa /The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/PXTCM5RSAMCSM6JEWCUT2Y2CHI.jpg?smart=true&auth=afa3d99f255b11903080ff3812b86f845ad12561723f0afe9a35d04faa82ab04&width=400&height=225)
Visa Singh with parents Vijai and Sarika pictured shopping for back to school supplies. Chris Whiteoak / The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/KSFTLPHHZH4SPPUDPYC2WEO4FE.jpg?smart=true&auth=aae78fdff76397bab4d3eeef7df5f8510f27ff36476ec2b4b433a68b8fbf9786&width=400&height=225)
The Ubaldo family were among the many families to spend hundreds on masks and gloves, along with the usual back to school supplies. Chris Whiteoak / The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/TPT5MYN37EMGI4VSCKHRFLFUHM.jpg?smart=true&auth=3b1d7bc4fdbe03b7b4006f4dd411a0c14aa5d287ef97f62292ee99bd1de782a0&width=400&height=225)
A shopper passes sale posters at Mall of the Emirates. Chris Whiteoak / The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/PHHZFJJ7ECVHM27ZLLU7UZLUMY.jpg?smart=true&auth=5c37b052fe4b2efe147c2f57c473bb4fc78d0582344e90e2cd691ecb5f491e2a&width=400&height=225)
Children's face masks and face sheilds for sale at LC Waikiki shop in Al Wahda Mall, Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa /The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/YNDE6XX5YTQAZ36JJUM4HMQHJM.jpg?smart=true&auth=0898b62ca8c8a7d87ea12317a7eb65201de761f8a3bb3ebb39309e19a620bab8&width=400&height=225)
Children's face masks and face sheilds for sale at LC Waikiki shop in Al Wahda Mall, Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa /The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/GEEZMSTF46O5AYUSY4IDFZDL4U.jpg?smart=true&auth=6959eb6614a85ece981cb69a19856ffdca848fe69fbe3ba5065f1a39adac49d8&width=400&height=225)
A girl with a face mask on passes a mannequin promoting face mask sales at the LC Waikiki shop in Al Wahda Mall, Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa /The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/JUF6SFO4IZ4FQG2PTUYWRIVZNI.jpg?smart=true&auth=f4c8288ed62011cc3a07f0d877b808c826aecc32008d8461f69e3c13677170c0&width=400&height=225)
Children's face masks and face sheilds for sale at LC Waikiki shop in Al Wahda Mall, Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa /The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/E6JCG5UDOGTTMLAAYQADEU77MY.jpg?smart=true&auth=fff046b0e95a6742f23657c7e4719d90f38296aaec76c84885c3aa1a5c7e238f&width=400&height=225)
Children's face masks for sale at LC Waikiki shop in Al Wahda Mall, Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa /The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/ICG56HSISG2YQLL2SHTCHXDDJI.jpg?smart=true&auth=d125afc18233b1b9b39c86f8817050cdd3c2127ee00a65827f729b89aa29cf30&width=400&height=225)
Twins Ghazal (left) and Yara Ghnimat pictured shopping for masks at Mall of the Emirates before their return to school earlier this month. Chris Whiteoak / The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/UFAYEPYBICNJBDOJK2HNUAD2J4.jpg?smart=true&auth=117636b2d59367aea468edd05560feac39c8d6b5ee4c2779ce6a4ec27d92a2be&width=400&height=225)
The Ghnimat family shops for back-to-school equipment at Mall of the Emirates. Chris Whiteoak / The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/E3WPKUSKOFPZLCGYAP7GEZPJDY.jpg?smart=true&auth=fd29ee1a9c0c855789f6d40abcc7ddd2c8c978f58a8d4206c2378c427f552e83&width=400&height=225)
Dorsai Khaghani says she spent hundreds of dirhams on colourful face masks for her five-year-old daughter Karla. Chris Whiteoak / The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/ROZ7ZWIKMJQPXYDJ7LWO3XUJNQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=772623730803a394ecd054f3b9a07519b7ff188a213aba82daca5af2c2498be9&width=400&height=225)
Patricia, aged 6, with her newly purchased face masks at the LC Waikiki shop in Al Wahda Mall, Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa /The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/P5PFUPH5W4ZYFBQYVEMOM34AWM.jpg?smart=true&auth=6dbe47376db890610e8d8c336deccf8c42fe7ca565fa6166d6a627b092b7fc6a&width=400&height=225)
Masks on sale at Claire's Accessories in Mall of the Emirates. Retailers said they had sold thousands of child-sized masks in recent days. Chris Whiteoak / The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/HEQN7XGDHGW5Y7VJHTGDJPDEEI.jpg?smart=true&auth=a057daa60c7de6ebb7aea40761f630559e0c96ee8e85827dad43c50f48fc2bf8&width=400&height=225)
Children's face masks and face sheilds for sale at LC Waikiki shop in Al Wahda Mall, Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa /The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/PXTCM5RSAMCSM6JEWCUT2Y2CHI.jpg?smart=true&auth=afa3d99f255b11903080ff3812b86f845ad12561723f0afe9a35d04faa82ab04&width=400&height=225)
Visa Singh with parents Vijai and Sarika pictured shopping for back to school supplies. Chris Whiteoak / The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/KSFTLPHHZH4SPPUDPYC2WEO4FE.jpg?smart=true&auth=aae78fdff76397bab4d3eeef7df5f8510f27ff36476ec2b4b433a68b8fbf9786&width=400&height=225)
The Ubaldo family were among the many families to spend hundreds on masks and gloves, along with the usual back to school supplies. Chris Whiteoak / The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/TPT5MYN37EMGI4VSCKHRFLFUHM.jpg?smart=true&auth=3b1d7bc4fdbe03b7b4006f4dd411a0c14aa5d287ef97f62292ee99bd1de782a0&width=400&height=225)
A shopper passes sale posters at Mall of the Emirates. Chris Whiteoak / The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/PHHZFJJ7ECVHM27ZLLU7UZLUMY.jpg?smart=true&auth=5c37b052fe4b2efe147c2f57c473bb4fc78d0582344e90e2cd691ecb5f491e2a&width=400&height=225)
Children's face masks and face sheilds for sale at LC Waikiki shop in Al Wahda Mall, Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa /The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/YNDE6XX5YTQAZ36JJUM4HMQHJM.jpg?smart=true&auth=0898b62ca8c8a7d87ea12317a7eb65201de761f8a3bb3ebb39309e19a620bab8&width=400&height=225)
Children's face masks and face sheilds for sale at LC Waikiki shop in Al Wahda Mall, Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa /The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/GEEZMSTF46O5AYUSY4IDFZDL4U.jpg?smart=true&auth=6959eb6614a85ece981cb69a19856ffdca848fe69fbe3ba5065f1a39adac49d8&width=400&height=225)
A girl with a face mask on passes a mannequin promoting face mask sales at the LC Waikiki shop in Al Wahda Mall, Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa /The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/JUF6SFO4IZ4FQG2PTUYWRIVZNI.jpg?smart=true&auth=f4c8288ed62011cc3a07f0d877b808c826aecc32008d8461f69e3c13677170c0&width=400&height=225)
Children's face masks and face sheilds for sale at LC Waikiki shop in Al Wahda Mall, Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa /The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/E6JCG5UDOGTTMLAAYQADEU77MY.jpg?smart=true&auth=fff046b0e95a6742f23657c7e4719d90f38296aaec76c84885c3aa1a5c7e238f&width=400&height=225)
Children's face masks for sale at LC Waikiki shop in Al Wahda Mall, Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa /The National
UAE families rush to buy face masks before first day of school
Many parents opt for colourful face coverings to ease children in to wearing them
![Kelly Clarke](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fs3.amazonaws.com%2Farc-authors%2Fthenational%2F0d1398b1-947f-4bc8-a663-69c6b02cb849.png?smart=true&auth=168c867e0c9f9e3320a65ec2cb755dfde78d4c07327944646c4aad65792033ee&width=70&height=70)
Kelly Clarke
24 August, 2020
- Listen In English
- Listen In Arabic