Coronavirus: online booking service launched for Abu Dhabi laser testing centre

The rapid screening service is now available by appointment only to help meet strong demand from the public

Visitors take photos from At The Top, Burj Khalifa in Dubai. Reem Mohammed / The National

Staff of Hafiz Mustafa in facemasks at their shop in The Dubai Mall. Reem Mohammed / The National

Babki sanitises the railing at the Ice Rink in The Dubai Mall. Reem Mohammed / The National

Signs requiring people to social distance at Dubai Mall’s Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo. Reem Mohammed / The National

Skating shoes are sanitised at the Ice Rink in Dubai Mall. Reem Mohammed / The National

A staff with the parrots at Dubai Mall’s Aquarium and Underwater Zoo. Reem Mohammed / The National

A staff holds a thermometer at Dubai Mall’s Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo. Reem Mohammed / The National

Signs requiring people to social distance at Dubai Mall’s Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo. Reem Mohammed / The National

A woman skates at Dubai Mall’s Ice Rink. Reem Mohammed /The National

Signs requiring people to social distance at Dubai Mall’s Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo. Reem Mohammed / The National

General view the safety rules at Times Square Centre in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Green planet biologist Sara Stevens with an Umbrella Cockatoo at The Green Planet. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Green planet biologist Peter Njoroge holds a Blue tongued skink. Chris Whiteoak / The National

The Green Planet has opened with Covid-19 measures in place. Chris Whiteoak / The National

A person wearing protective face mask during the hot and humid weather in Al Satwa area in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National

Dubai’s skyline seen from At The Top, Burj Khalifa. Reem Mohammed / The National

A new online booking service has been launched to meet the "high demand" for a rapid screening centre set up on the border between Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

The new service, which opened this week, intends to give drivers quick access to the capital by offering a Diffractive Phase Interferometry, or DPI, test that produces results within five minutes.

The test, which costs Dh50, uses a laser technique to scan a blood sample for signs of surging red blood cells, which is an early indication the body is fighting off a virus.

The technique was developed by QuantLase Imaging Lab, which partially runs the site and is part of Abu Dhabi investment firm International Holdings Company (IHC).

How to book a test

Authorities have announced the screening facility will now be available by appointment only.

The booking service is available here.

People must enter their Emirates ID and phone number and provide their name, nationality and city they live in.

The move comes after lengthy queues of vehicles disrupted the traffic on Sheikh Zayed Road on Wednesday when scores of drivers attempted to visit the newly opened centre.

Second screening centre on the way

On Wednesday, officials unveiled plans to set up a second instant screening centre on the Abu Dhabi-Dubai border.

The facility is expected to be built in time for the weekend to help reduce waiting times for motorists, who need to take a Covid-19 test to be allowed into the capital.

Abdullah Al Rashdi, spokesperson of Tamouh Healthcare, which is affiliated to the IHC, said the second facility will be used to exclusively screen families driving to Abu Dhabi and the first will be dedicated to testing individuals. Each centre can accommodate up to 2,000 people a day and more facilities are being considered across the country.

The DPI test offered at the border is not as definitive as the PCR nasal swab – but the results take less than a minute, instead of hours or days with the PCR.