Pharmacies have reported a huge surge in demand for face masks after the UAE government told residents they should be worn at all times outside the home.
On Saturday, residents were urged to cover the “mouth and nose” when performing essential tasks such as food shopping or travelling to and from work.
On Sunday morning, pharmacy workers across the UAE said surgical masks started to fly off the shelves after the announcement, with many swiftly selling out of stock. However, there was still availability at some stores.
Over the past few weeks, residents have been seen wearing masks out in public, which had already resulted in a shortage of masks across some supermarkets and pharmacies.
Initially, health authorities advised that only those with chronic illnesses or people showing symptoms of the virus needed to wear protective masks when in public.
However, in a briefing on Saturday Dr Farida Al Hosani, spokeswoman for the country's health sector, advised they be worn outside the home by all.
Dr Al Hosani said home-made masks made of “cotton or mixed cotton” could be used as an alternative if stocks were hard to come by.
The message came as 241 new Covid-19 cases were confirmed in the UAE on Saturday, taking the total to 1,505.
As a result, customers flocked to Manchester Community Pharmacy in Dubai Marina to buy up.
“We have seen such a high demand and have sold out,” a worker said. “We have been stocking the normal surgical masks and selling them for Dh2 each or Dh100 for a box of 50.
“We hope to get more in the next few days but right now the procurement team still hasn’t ordered any as it is hard to find supplier with a good price.”
On Sunday morning at 8.45am, BinSina Pharmacy in Dubai Sports City sold its last box of disposable masks.
“Actually, we just had a customer come in and buy our last box of 50 a few minutes a go,” a worker said.
“For weeks, we have only been stocking the disposable variety and we are selling a box of 50 for Dh187.50.”
At Life Pharmacy in Jumeirah, near Safa Park, stocks of the Venus FFP2 masks were available alongside the disposable version.
“We have good stocks available right now and we have not set a limit on the number of masks each customer can purchase,” the pharmacist said.
“We have about 10 boxes of the FFP2 masks priced at Dh283 for 15 pieces and the normal surgical masks, the Leo brand, cost Dh103 for a box of 50.
In the densely populated Karama neighbourhood in Bur Dubai, one of the Life Pharmacy branches was waiting to replenish stocks.
“We sold out of surgical masks more than two days ago and we are hoping to get more in the next few days but no confirmation yet,” a salesperson in store said.
“We are selling a box of 50 for Dh103 but we are selling them individually too, at D2 a piece.
“We have not stocked the N95 or FFP2 masks at this branch for many weeks.”
At its sister branch in Karama One, he said the masks were still available.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, many have begun wearing surgical masks as they seek to protect themselves and others against the virus.
They help to limit or prevent the spread of infectious droplets transmitted from the nose and mouth when a person sneezes or coughs.
Dubai strengthened its safety measures on Saturday, issuing a directive that that only one member of a household will be allowed to leave the home for essential shopping – and they must wear a mask and gloves at all times.
Roshin Abdul Hameed, retail pharmacy manager for Burjeel Hospitals, where boxes of 50 basic ear-loop surgical masks are on sale for Dh95 at the group’s 28 pharmacies across the country, said there is a huge demand for the product.
“We are dependent on the local suppliers as they are getting masks imported from China," he said.
'We will keep these basic surgical masks in stock at all times when possible, but we want to reserve the high grade N95 protection masks for healthcare workers only.
“Families are restricted to 15 masks each as we have to protect our supplies to ensure people who need them can get them.
“We have enough in stock at the moment, but we are hoping there will not be a scarcity in the near future as this continues.”
Of 10 pharmacies in Abu Dhabi surveyed on Sunday morning by The National, only three said they had face masks currently in stock.
The stores – the Community Pharmacy in Reem Island, Life Pharmacy in Abu Dhabi Mall and Al Najah pharmacy near Mina Fish Market – were selling boxes of 50 surgical masks for between Dh103 and Dh120.
None of the Abu Dhabi stores surveyed had the more advanced masks, such as the N95 or FFP2 types, on sale.
Some pharmacies in the capital with no masks said they were hopeful that more stock would arrive soon, but were unable to offer guarantees to customers.
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
How to donate
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
MATCH INFO
AC Milan v Inter, Sunday, 6pm (UAE), match live on BeIN Sports
Other IPL batting records
Most sixes: 292 – Chris Gayle
Most fours: 491 – Gautam Gambhir
Highest individual score: 175 not out – Chris Gayle (for Royal Challengers Bangalore against Pune Warriors in 2013)
Highest strike-rate: 177.29 – Andre Russell
Highest strike-rate in an innings: 422.22 – Chris Morris (for Delhi Daredevils against Rising Pune Supergiant in 2017)
Highest average: 52.16 – Vijay Shankar
Most centuries: 6 – Chris Gayle
Most fifties: 36 – Gautam Gambhir
Fastest hundred (balls faced): 30 – Chris Gayle (for Royal Challengers Bangalore against Pune Warriors in 2013)
Fastest fifty (balls faced): 14 – Lokesh Rahul (for Kings XI Punjab against Delhi Daredevils in 2018)
The specs: 2018 Maxus T60
Price, base / as tested: Dh48,000
Engine: 2.4-litre four-cylinder
Power: 136hp @ 1,600rpm
Torque: 360Nm @ 1,600 rpm
Transmission: Five-speed manual
Fuel consumption, combined: 9.1L / 100km
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
THE LIGHT
Director: Tom Tykwer
Starring: Tala Al Deen, Nicolette Krebitz, Lars Eidinger
Rating: 3/5
Fifa Club World Cup quarter-final
Kashima Antlers 3 (Nagaki 49’, Serginho 69’, Abe 84’)
Guadalajara 2 (Zaldivar 03’, Pulido 90')
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Founders: Ines Mena, Claudia Ribas, Simona Agolini, Nourhan Hassan and Therese Hundt
Date started: January 2017, app launched November 2017
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Private/Retail/Leisure
Number of Employees: 18 employees, including full-time and flexible workers
Funding stage and size: Seed round completed Q4 2019 - $1m raised
Funders: Oman Technology Fund, 500 Startups, Vision Ventures, Seedstars, Mindshift Capital, Delta Partners Ventures, with support from the OQAL Angel Investor Network and UAE Business Angels
Other must-tries
Tomato and walnut salad
A lesson in simple, seasonal eating. Wedges of tomato, chunks of cucumber, thinly sliced red onion, coriander or parsley leaves, and perhaps some fresh dill are drizzled with a crushed walnut and garlic dressing. Do consider yourself warned: if you eat this salad in Georgia during the summer months, the tomatoes will be so ripe and flavourful that every tomato you eat from that day forth will taste lacklustre in comparison.
Badrijani nigvzit
A delicious vegetarian snack or starter. It consists of thinly sliced, fried then cooled aubergine smothered with a thick and creamy walnut sauce and folded or rolled. Take note, even though it seems like you should be able to pick these morsels up with your hands, they’re not as durable as they look. A knife and fork is the way to go.
Pkhali
This healthy little dish (a nice antidote to the khachapuri) is usually made with steamed then chopped cabbage, spinach, beetroot or green beans, combined with walnuts, garlic and herbs to make a vegetable pâté or paste. The mix is then often formed into rounds, chilled in the fridge and topped with pomegranate seeds before being served.
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Fixtures
Sunday, December 8, Sharjah Cricket Stadium – UAE v USA
Monday, December 9, Sharjah Cricket Stadium – USA v Scotland
Wednesday, December 11, Sharjah Cricket Stadium – UAE v Scotland
Thursday, December 12, ICC Academy, Dubai – UAE v USA
Saturday, December 14, ICC Academy, Dubai – USA v Scotland
Sunday, December 15, ICC Academy, Dubai – UAE v Scotland
Note: All matches start at 10am, admission is free
