Three drive-through coronavirus testing centres will open in Dubai next week, the head of the emirate’s health authority said.
Speaking to Arabic-language newspaper Al Bayan, Dr Humaid Al Qutami said the facilities would open in Al Khawaneej, Port Rashid and at Al Nasr Club.
Tests at the centres take about five minutes and are conducted while the patient is still sat in their car. The speed and natural isolation of the patient make the drive-through set-up ideal for coronavirus testing.
The pioneering centre opened in Abu Dhabi last week, after it was inaugurated and tested by Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces.
The facilities, which are open from 8am to 8pm daily, can conduct 600 tests a day and results take between 24 and 48 hours to process.
Medics take the patient's temperature and then swab their nose.
All drive-through testing centres will prioritise people who are displaying symptoms of the virus, the elderly, people with underlying health issues and pregnant women. Bookings must be made in advance and tests for those in the priority category will be free of charge.
Anyone wishing to book a test, who does not fit the priority category, can still do so but must pay Dh370. People can book by calling Estijaba on 8001717.
Similar facilities will be opened Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah, Al Ain and Al Dhafra.
On Thursday, it was announced that the Abu Dhabi facility had conducted almost 3,000 tests since it opened.
The Settlers
Director: Louis Theroux
Starring: Daniella Weiss, Ari Abramowitz
Rating: 5/5
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Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
The drill
Recharge as needed, says Mat Dryden: “We try to make it a rule that every two to three months, even if it’s for four days, we get away, get some time together, recharge, refresh.” The couple take an hour a day to check into their businesses and that’s it.
Stick to the schedule, says Mike Addo: “We have an entire wall known as ‘The Lab,’ covered with colour-coded Post-it notes dedicated to our joint weekly planner, content board, marketing strategy, trends, ideas and upcoming meetings.”
Be a team, suggests Addo: “When training together, you have to trust in each other’s abilities. Otherwise working out together very quickly becomes one person training the other.”
Pull your weight, says Thuymi Do: “To do what we do, there definitely can be no lazy member of the team.”
