Sheikh Mohamed to open more drive-through Covid-19 test centres across UAE

Move follows launch of first centre in Abu Dhabi on Saturday

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, has instructed the Department of Health to set up drive-through centres across the UAE to test for coronavirus.

The move follows the launch of the first test centre in Abu Dhabi at the weekend.

Over the next 10 days, test centres will open in Dubai, Sharjah (which will also serve Ajman and Umm Al Quwain), Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah, Al Ain and Al Dhafra, to provide quick tests for people across the UAE using the latest medical technology.

The state news agency says the centre will be able to provide services for around 600 people a day.

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The Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi arrives at a drive-through testing lab at Zayed Sports City on Saturday. All photos courtesy of Ministry of Presidential Affairs

Further information on the contact details for the new centres and appointment procedures will be announced ahead of the openings.

The expansion reflects the leadership’s commitment to providing all citizens and residents with the means to combat Covid-19 and curb its spread.

The Abu Dhabi Health Services Company, or Seha, and the Department of Health Abu Dhabi launched the first drive-through test centre at Zayed Sports City in Abu Dhabi on Saturday.

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It is the first of its kind in the UAE and the fifth internationally, and offers a five-minute test for Covid-19 without needing to leave the car.

So far, the UAE has had 468 cases of the new coronavirus, with two deaths.

The UAE is under a nationwide curfew from 8pm to 6am as it goes through a disinfection programme that runs until April 4.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks.

For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death.