UAE Explained: everything you need to know about quarantine rules in Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi updated its rules for travellers on Sunday.

Vaccinated passengers flying into Abu Dhabi from countries not on its green list will now quarantine for five days instead of 10.

And those who have not been inoculated will have to quarantine for 10 days.

But they are not the only people who are required to isolate in the emirate.

Anyone who comes into contact with a Covid-19 patient must also quarantine to restrict the spread of the virus.

So, what are the rules on quarantine for close contacts and travellers to Abu Dhabi? The National explains.

Who is considered a close contact?

Anyone who has spent time with an infected person for more than 15 minutes, at a distance of less than two metres, is considered a close contact.

The person should have come in contact with the patient two days before their symptoms appeared or since the person received a positive result or any time during the 10 days of infection.

The 10-day quarantine period begins from the date of the last contact with the infected person after he/she tests positive.

For example, if you met someone for a coffee on April 30, and the person tested positive on May 1, your quarantine period would be until May 9.

What happens next?

Anyone who is confirmed as a close contact must go immediately to take a PCR test.

If it is negative, the test must be repeated on day eight.

For example, if the first test is taken on May 1, that is considered to be day one and the second test would be repeated on May 8, the eighth day.

If that test is negative, and no symptoms develop in the last three days of quarantine period, they are free to resume their normal life.

If either of the tests is positive, the person must immediately isolate. They will then receive an SMS with a date for a second PCR test.

If that second test is negative, a third test must be performed within 48 hours. If it is negative, the person can get back to normal life.

However, if the second test is positive, they will be required to isolate at home or at a designated isolation centre, which will be decided by doctors. Severe cases are treated in hospitals.

Once two consecutive negative tests are carried out, or alternatively the 10-day isolation period is completed with no symptoms in the last three days, people can leave isolation, regardless of the result on the eighth day.

Any vaccinated with an E on the Al Hosn app must take a PCR test on the fourth day after coming in contact with a positive case. If it is negative, they can leave isolation.

Only direct contacts must quarantine. But if a person develops symptoms and his family members have come in close contact with him, then they must quarantine too.

Symptoms to watch out for include a runny nose, body pain, shortness or difficulty breathing, headache, diarrhea, nausea, sore throat, a temperature greater than 37.5°C or a loss of taste or smell.

However, about a third of cases or possibly more, develop no symptoms.

What are the rules on quarantine after travelling?

On Sunday, Abu Dhabi updated its rules for travellers flying into the emirate, reducing the duration of quarantine for vaccinated travellers.

Vaccinated passengers arriving from green countries must take a PCR test on arrival and on day six, without the need to quarantine.

Vaccinated travellers arriving from other countries must take a PCR test on arrival, start a five-day quarantine and take another PCR test on day four.

The protocol applies to all vaccinated UAE citizens and residents of Abu Dhabi emirate who received their second vaccine dose at least 28 days earlier, which is documented in the vaccine report on Al Hosn app.

Non-vaccinated citizens and residents of Abu Dhabi arriving from green countries must take a PCR test on arrival without the need to quarantine, followed by PCR tests on day six and day 12.

Non-vaccinated citizens and residents arriving from other countries must take a PCR test on arrival, start a 10-day quarantine and take a second PCR test on day eight.

UAE’s massive Covid-19 testing campaign - in pictures

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 nature of their work means changing their PPE gear frequently.

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.

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 shop worker is tested by a medic.

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.