• A fruit vendor with his watermelons at the Abu Dhabi Fruits and Vegetables Market during the Coronavirus epidemic. Victor Besa / The National
    A fruit vendor with his watermelons at the Abu Dhabi Fruits and Vegetables Market during the Coronavirus epidemic. Victor Besa / The National
  • Abu Dhabi Civil Defence and Police sterilisation drive in Mussafah. Victor Besa / The National
    Abu Dhabi Civil Defence and Police sterilisation drive in Mussafah. Victor Besa / The National
  • A vegetable vendor fixes his gloves at the Abu Dhabi Fruits and Vegetables Market during the Coronavirus epidemic. Victor Besa / The National
    A vegetable vendor fixes his gloves at the Abu Dhabi Fruits and Vegetables Market during the Coronavirus epidemic. Victor Besa / The National
  • A key worker wears a facemask as he walks passed a brightly coloured mural in Media City, Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    A key worker wears a facemask as he walks passed a brightly coloured mural in Media City, Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • A deserted part of JBR, Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    A deserted part of JBR, Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • A digger does some work on an empty Jumeirah beach, this is normally a very popular spot for beach goers, Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    A digger does some work on an empty Jumeirah beach, this is normally a very popular spot for beach goers, Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • Abu Dhabi Civil Defence and Police sterilisation drive in Mussafah. Victor Besa / The National
    Abu Dhabi Civil Defence and Police sterilisation drive in Mussafah. Victor Besa / The National
  • A poster on Sheikh Zayed Road shows a family wearing facemasks tell people to Stay at home, Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    A poster on Sheikh Zayed Road shows a family wearing facemasks tell people to Stay at home, Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • A man walks past fishing boats in Ajman wearing a mask amid the coronavirus crisis. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    A man walks past fishing boats in Ajman wearing a mask amid the coronavirus crisis. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • A market worker boxes up fish at Ras Al Khaimah's dock. Antonie Robertson / The National
    A market worker boxes up fish at Ras Al Khaimah's dock. Antonie Robertson / The National
  • Empty streets in RAK as residents stay home for a third week. Antonie Robertson / The National
    Empty streets in RAK as residents stay home for a third week. Antonie Robertson / The National
  • Residents of the Northern Emirates must stay home from 8pm to 6am, but can leave home to shop for essentials outside of those times. Antonie Robertson / The National
    Residents of the Northern Emirates must stay home from 8pm to 6am, but can leave home to shop for essentials outside of those times. Antonie Robertson / The National
  • A sign outside Dubai Parks and Resorts offers support to frontline workers. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    A sign outside Dubai Parks and Resorts offers support to frontline workers. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • No entry signs at the closed Corniche in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National
    No entry signs at the closed Corniche in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National
  • A street cleaner sanitises gutters at Marina Mall car park in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National
    A street cleaner sanitises gutters at Marina Mall car park in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National
  • The normally busy beaches of Abu Dhabi have been deserted in recent weeks. Victor Besa / The National
    The normally busy beaches of Abu Dhabi have been deserted in recent weeks. Victor Besa / The National
  • A shopper picks up essentials at Carrefour in Dubai's Ibn Battuta Mall. Dubai residents must apply for a permit to leave home. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    A shopper picks up essentials at Carrefour in Dubai's Ibn Battuta Mall. Dubai residents must apply for a permit to leave home. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • The only vehicles on Dubai's roads are delivery trucks, bike couriers and minibuses taking essential personnel to and from work. Victor Besa / The National
    The only vehicles on Dubai's roads are delivery trucks, bike couriers and minibuses taking essential personnel to and from work. Victor Besa / The National
  • The empty Al Maktoum Road near Deira Clock Tower in Dubai. It would normally be one of the city's busiest streets. Pawan Singh / The National
    The empty Al Maktoum Road near Deira Clock Tower in Dubai. It would normally be one of the city's busiest streets. Pawan Singh / The National
  • A 24-hour stay-home order and the disinfecting of streets has left Dubai streets mostly deserted. Pawan Singh / The National
    A 24-hour stay-home order and the disinfecting of streets has left Dubai streets mostly deserted. Pawan Singh / The National
  • The famous Deira Clock Tower at the heart of the city's old town. Pawan Singh / The National
    The famous Deira Clock Tower at the heart of the city's old town. Pawan Singh / The National
  • The bridge to Meydan hotel and racecourse stands empty on Saturday evening. Reem Mohammed / The National
    The bridge to Meydan hotel and racecourse stands empty on Saturday evening. Reem Mohammed / The National
  • A shopkeeper waits outside his dress store in Al Ain. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    A shopkeeper waits outside his dress store in Al Ain. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • An ambulance on a street in Al Ain. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    An ambulance on a street in Al Ain. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • A quiet street leads to Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Grand mosque in Al Ain. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    A quiet street leads to Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Grand mosque in Al Ain. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • The empty bridge to Meydan during daytime. Reem Mohammed / The National
    The empty bridge to Meydan during daytime. Reem Mohammed / The National
  • Dubai residents must remain indoors at all times, unless they have a permit for essential shopping. Reem Mohammed / The National
    Dubai residents must remain indoors at all times, unless they have a permit for essential shopping. Reem Mohammed / The National
  • Residents queue outside a supermarket in the Muraqqabat area of Deira in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National
    Residents queue outside a supermarket in the Muraqqabat area of Deira in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National
  • A customer enters a pharmacy in Dubai. Pharmacies and supermarkets are the only stores allowed to remain open to the public. Pawan Singh / The National
    A customer enters a pharmacy in Dubai. Pharmacies and supermarkets are the only stores allowed to remain open to the public. Pawan Singh / The National
  • A man rides his bike across the street in Al Ain. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    A man rides his bike across the street in Al Ain. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • A medical worker in a booth prepares to swab residents at a drive-through test centre in the Dubai suburb of Khawaneej. AFP
    A medical worker in a booth prepares to swab residents at a drive-through test centre in the Dubai suburb of Khawaneej. AFP
  • Dubai skyline during lockdown. Antonie Robertson / The National
    Dubai skyline during lockdown. Antonie Robertson / The National
  • A man takes a taxi after leaving the Business Bay Metro station, Dubai. Antonie Robertson / The National
    A man takes a taxi after leaving the Business Bay Metro station, Dubai. Antonie Robertson / The National
  • An awareness board on Meydan road, Dubai. Antonie Robertson / The National
    An awareness board on Meydan road, Dubai. Antonie Robertson / The National
  • The empty Kite Beach area of Dubai. Antonie Robertson / The National
    The empty Kite Beach area of Dubai. Antonie Robertson / The National
  • A healthcare worker crosses an empty street in Bur Dubai while wearing a mask amid the coronavirus outbreak. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    A healthcare worker crosses an empty street in Bur Dubai while wearing a mask amid the coronavirus outbreak. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • A gentleman crosses an empty street in Oud Metha in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    A gentleman crosses an empty street in Oud Metha in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • Men in face mask walking by nurseries in Warsan. Reem Mohammed / The National
    Men in face mask walking by nurseries in Warsan. Reem Mohammed / The National

Government

Coronavirus: Abu Dhabi places travel restrictions on workers

Labourers must operate within the emirate under new measures to stem the spread of Covid-19

The National

April 13, 2020

  • English
  • Arabic

Abu Dhabi's government has restricted travel for labourers as part of measures to tackle the spread of coronavirus.

Companies that employ construction and blue-collar workers must limit operations to within the emirate, the Department of Economic Development, which regulates businesses, said on Monday.

"Out of concern for the personal health and safety of all workers in the UAE, and in order to maintain social distancing, the department’s measures also prevent the entry of workers from other emirates into Abu Dhabi."

Construction, food production and heavy industry are among the sectors deemed vital to the economy.

Their work continues and workers are not subject to the same 'stay order' order imposed on much of the country.

UAECoronavirus