Private family and social gatherings of up to 30 people will be permitted in Dubai on New Year's Eve as part of safety measures set out by authorities.
Party hosts who exceed the capped number of guests will face fines of Dh50,000, while guests will be hit with fines of Dh15,000 each.
The guidelines were laid out after a meeting of Dubai's Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management on Saturday headed by Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed.
The ruling covers private events held at homes and in tents.
Guests are required to wear face masks at all times.
Elderly people and those with chronic conditions should be advised not to attend these gatherings.
Any person experiencing symptoms such as coughing or fever must refrain from attending.
Gatherings must be in line with social distancing practices and comply with a rule of one person per four square metres of venue space.
Officials will conduct inspections to ensure precautionary measures are being followed.
The committee stated the regulations were part of efforts to protect the safety of the public during the pandemic.
In line with this strategy, at least 50,000 people will be able to watch Dubai's traditional New Year's Eve festivities from Burj Khalifa on Zoom.
Emaar, which developed the world's tallest building, and the video conferencing company, announced the event on Tuesday.
To access the live event on Zoom, people can register here.
For those keen to watch the spectacular firework and laser show in person, strict measures to prevent the spread of Covid-19 will be in place at the public viewing area on Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Boulevard, such as thermal scanning, social distancing, contactless payments and disinfection.
Restaurants and hotels along the boulevard, Souk Al Bahar, Dubai Opera and The Dubai Mall Promenade are available for dining reservations.
