• A team of medics, volunteers and police officers in central Abu Dhabi during a nighttime testing drive. Farha Sameer Baker, right, is head of operations at Tamouh Health Care. All photos by Victor Besa / The National
    A team of medics, volunteers and police officers in central Abu Dhabi during a nighttime testing drive. Farha Sameer Baker, right, is head of operations at Tamouh Health Care. All photos by Victor Besa / The National
  • Abu Dhabi's government has run door-to-door testing since May 2020. The intention is to identify and isolate cases and drive down community transmissions.
    Abu Dhabi's government has run door-to-door testing since May 2020. The intention is to identify and isolate cases and drive down community transmissions.
  • Maram Herzallah conducts a test on a resident in the corridor outside her home.
    Maram Herzallah conducts a test on a resident in the corridor outside her home.
  • About 15,000 people a day are tested by the team across Abu Dhabi city and Al Ain.
    About 15,000 people a day are tested by the team across Abu Dhabi city and Al Ain.
  • Medics work with the police given that they often have to close streets for periods of time.
    Medics work with the police given that they often have to close streets for periods of time.
  • Nurse Maram Herzallah has her PPE gear checked by a colleague before starting her shift for the night.
    Nurse Maram Herzallah has her PPE gear checked by a colleague before starting her shift for the night.
  • Screening staff are volunteers but most work in the emergency services or in hospitals by day.
    Screening staff are volunteers but most work in the emergency services or in hospitals by day.
  • Staff must work diligently to process thousands of samples. People receive their results on the government's Al Hosn tracing app.
    Staff must work diligently to process thousands of samples. People receive their results on the government's Al Hosn tracing app.
  • Police work with medics to perform door-to-door testing on an Abu Dhabi street.
    Police work with medics to perform door-to-door testing on an Abu Dhabi street.
  • The crew is 100 per cent mobile and carries all the equipment they need to test thousands of people each night.
    The crew is 100 per cent mobile and carries all the equipment they need to test thousands of people each night.
  • The nature of their work means changing their PPE gear frequently.
    The nature of their work means changing their PPE gear frequently.
  • Medics sort through Emirates IDs, which are needed to store data and deliver results.
    Medics sort through Emirates IDs, which are needed to store data and deliver results.
  • A group of residents are tested inside one of the crew's screening vans. Volunteers avoid going into people's homes as a precaution.
    A group of residents are tested inside one of the crew's screening vans. Volunteers avoid going into people's homes as a precaution.
  • Staff at a dry cleaners receive a nasal swab test.
    Staff at a dry cleaners receive a nasal swab test.
  • A police officer stores samples in a cool box until they can be processed.
    A police officer stores samples in a cool box until they can be processed.
  • A shop worker is tested by a medic.
    A shop worker is tested by a medic.
  • The volunteers cover several areas of the city each week.
    The volunteers cover several areas of the city each week.
  • Volunteers says they are proud to play their part in tackling the pandemic and driving down cases.
    Volunteers says they are proud to play their part in tackling the pandemic and driving down cases.

Health

Abu Dhabi to carry out intensive Covid-19 testing campaign in five areas of city

The drive is intended to curb the spread of the virus and protect public health

The National

April 13, 2021

  • English
  • Arabic

Abu Dhabi announced plans on Tuesday to carry out an expanded Covid-19 testing campaign in five districts in and near the city.

Screening will be increased in Al Danah, Bani Yas, Al Shamkha, Al Shawamekh and Al Zahiyah, also known as Tourist Club.

The Abu Dhabi Crisis, Emergencies and Disasters Committee called on the public to be tested and comply with all preventive measures.

Abu Dhabi tests thousands of people each day, including about 15,000 people per day in a door-to-door testing drive.

Police and medics travel across the emirate to identify coronavirus carriers.

The teams often work at night, when more people are at home.

Medics knock on someone’s door, register each person in the home and conduct the PCR tests, which take less than two minutes.

The chief executive of Tamouh, Abdullah Al Rashdi, said the purpose of the drive was to screen as many people as possible.

Authorities hope the vaccines, isolated school closures where necessary and restrictions on capacity in malls, shops and cinemas and will reduce the number of infections further.

The UAE announced 2,022 new cases of coronavirus on Tuesday, bringing the country’s total number of infections to 487,697.

Four deaths and 1,731 recoveries were reported.

The health ministry conducted 266,023 tests in the past 24 hours.

Cases are hovering around 2,000 a day this month – down from close to 4,000 in January.

Authorities on Tuesday said 118,805 vaccine doses had been administered in the past 24 hours, taking the total number to 9.15 million. This represents a rate of 92.58 doses per 100 people.

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