Abu Dhabi removes PCR test rules for entry from other emirates


Rory Reynolds
  • English
  • Arabic

Related: Abu Dhabi drops need for wristband trackers for arriving passengers

Abu Dhabi authorities will no longer require people to get tested for coronavirus before they enter the capital from other emirates, the government said on Saturday.

The move comes into effect on Sunday.

Officials said the decision was made after the recent drop in cases in Abu Dhabi. As of last week, just 0.2 per cent of people tested were found to have the coronavirus. Since July 2, 2020, anyone driving into Abu Dhabi has had to show police at the border they have had a recent PCR test and are negative for the virus.

Nationwide, cases have dropped significantly, to as few as 500 a day. Last week, the government said 80 per cent of the population were fully vaccinated.

"The decision follows the announcement of a decreased Covid-19 infection rate in the emirate of 0.2 per cent of total tests and the activation of the green pass system to enter some public places," Abu Dhabi's Government Media Office said.

"The committee will continue to monitor infection rates and urges all citizens, residents and visitors to continue adhering to precautionary measures to protect public health and safety, maintain successes and advance the nation’s sustainable recovery."

In a separate announcement, the Abu Dhabi Emergency, Crisis and Disasters Committee said people entering the capital from abroad, including arrivals at the airport, will no longer need to wear an electronic wristband during home quarantine. Positive cases must still wear a wristband.

  • The UAE's Al Hosn app acts as a health pass to secure entry to public buildings, malls, education facilities, restaurants and venues in Abu Dhabi. All photos by Khushnam Bhandari / The National
    The UAE's Al Hosn app acts as a health pass to secure entry to public buildings, malls, education facilities, restaurants and venues in Abu Dhabi. All photos by Khushnam Bhandari / The National
  • Signs at Khalidiyah Mall inform customers about the current 'green pass' entry rules. People are required to have the 'green status' on the Al Hosn app to enter many public places.
    Signs at Khalidiyah Mall inform customers about the current 'green pass' entry rules. People are required to have the 'green status' on the Al Hosn app to enter many public places.
  • People who are fully vaccinated against coronavirus remain green as long as they have a PCR test once every 30 days.
    People who are fully vaccinated against coronavirus remain green as long as they have a PCR test once every 30 days.
  • People who are unvaccinated must be tested every three days to remain green.
    People who are unvaccinated must be tested every three days to remain green.
  • People will be required to show their vaccination status before entering public buildings.
    People will be required to show their vaccination status before entering public buildings.
  • This 'green status' system is only in place in Abu Dhabi.
    This 'green status' system is only in place in Abu Dhabi.
  • To maintain vaccinated status on the Al Hosn app, a third booster dose must be taken six months after the second dose has been administered.
    To maintain vaccinated status on the Al Hosn app, a third booster dose must be taken six months after the second dose has been administered.
  • The new rules apply to citizens, residents and tourists.
    The new rules apply to citizens, residents and tourists.
  • Signs at the entrance to Yas Mall in Abu Dhabi inform people to show proof of vaccination upon entry.
    Signs at the entrance to Yas Mall in Abu Dhabi inform people to show proof of vaccination upon entry.
  • A widespread media campaign informed members of the public about the new requirements.
    A widespread media campaign informed members of the public about the new requirements.

"The committee has approved continued strict adherence to home quarantine procedures and required testing schedules based on personal responsibility, as well as monitoring by healthcare systems to ensure compliance with precautionary measures. Violators will be reported to the Attorney-General," it added.

Green pass needed to enter public places in Abu Dhabi

Although people entering Abu Dhabi from Dubai no longer need to show a test result, they are still required to have the 'green status' on the Al Hosn app to enter many public places.

Security staff at public buildings, malls, restaurants and venues will check that entrants have a green pass.

People who are fully vaccinated against coronavirus remain green as long as they have a PCR test once every 30 days.

The biog:

Favourite book: The Leader Who Had No Title by Robin Sharma

Pet Peeve: Racism 

Proudest moment: Graduating from Sorbonne 

What puts her off: Dishonesty in all its forms

Happiest period in her life: The beginning of her 30s

Favourite movie: "I have two. The Pursuit of Happiness and Homeless to Harvard"

Role model: Everyone. A child can be my role model 

Slogan: The queen of peace, love and positive energy

BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES

Friday (all kick-offs UAE time)

Hertha Berlin v Union Berlin (10.30pm)

Saturday

Freiburg v Werder Bremen (5.30pm)

Paderborn v Hoffenheim (5.30pm)

Wolfsburg v Borussia Dortmund (5.30pm)

Borussia Monchengladbach v Bayer Leverkusen (5.30pm)

Bayern Munich v Eintracht Frankfurt (5.30pm)

Sunday

Schalke v Augsburg (3.30pm)

Mainz v RB Leipzig (5.30pm)

Cologne v Fortuna Dusseldorf (8pm)

 

 

The specs
 
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Zakat definitions

Zakat: an Arabic word meaning ‘to cleanse’ or ‘purification’.

Nisab: the minimum amount that a Muslim must have before being obliged to pay zakat. Traditionally, the nisab threshold was 87.48 grams of gold, or 612.36 grams of silver. The monetary value of the nisab therefore varies by current prices and currencies.

Zakat Al Mal: the ‘cleansing’ of wealth, as one of the five pillars of Islam; a spiritual duty for all Muslims meeting the ‘nisab’ wealth criteria in a lunar year, to pay 2.5 per cent of their wealth in alms to the deserving and needy.

Zakat Al Fitr: a donation to charity given during Ramadan, before Eid Al Fitr, in the form of food. Every adult Muslim who possesses food in excess of the needs of themselves and their family must pay two qadahs (an old measure just over 2 kilograms) of flour, wheat, barley or rice from each person in a household, as a minimum.

Where to apply

Applicants should send their completed applications - CV, covering letter, sample(s) of your work, letter of recommendation - to Nick March, Assistant Editor in Chief at The National and UAE programme administrator for the Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism, by 5pm on April 30, 2020

Please send applications to nmarch@thenational.ae and please mark the subject line as “Rosalynn Carter Fellowship for Mental Health Journalism (UAE programme application)”.

The local advisory board will consider all applications and will interview a short list of candidates in Abu Dhabi in June 2020. Successful candidates will be informed before July 30, 2020. 

WOMAN AND CHILD

Director: Saeed Roustaee

Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi

Rating: 4/5

Poland Statement
All people fleeing from Ukraine before the armed conflict are allowed to enter Poland. Our country shelters every person whose life is in danger - regardless of their nationality.

The dominant group of refugees in Poland are citizens of Ukraine, but among the people checked by the Border Guard are also citizens of the USA, Nigeria, India, Georgia and other countries.

All persons admitted to Poland are verified by the Border Guard. In relation to those who are in doubt, e.g. do not have documents, Border Guard officers apply appropriate checking procedures.

No person who has received refuge in Poland will be sent back to a country torn by war.

COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EElmawkaa%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Hub71%2C%20Abu%20Dhabi%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Ebrahem%20Anwar%2C%20Mahmoud%20Habib%20and%20Mohamed%20Thabet%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20PropTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETotal%20funding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%24400%2C000%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E500%20Startups%2C%20Flat6Labs%20and%20angel%20investors%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2012%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
ANDROID%20VERSION%20NAMES%2C%20IN%20ORDER
%3Cp%3EAndroid%20Alpha%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EAndroid%20Beta%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EAndroid%20Cupcake%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EAndroid%20Donut%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EAndroid%20Eclair%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EAndroid%20Froyo%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EAndroid%20Gingerbread%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EAndroid%20Honeycomb%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EAndroid%20Ice%20Cream%20Sandwich%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EAndroid%20Jelly%20Bean%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EAndroid%20KitKat%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EAndroid%20Lollipop%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EAndroid%20Marshmallow%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EAndroid%20Nougat%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EAndroid%20Oreo%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EAndroid%20Pie%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EAndroid%2010%20(Quince%20Tart*)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EAndroid%2011%20(Red%20Velvet%20Cake*)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EAndroid%2012%20(Snow%20Cone*)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EAndroid%2013%20(Tiramisu*)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EAndroid%2014%20(Upside%20Down%20Cake*)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EAndroid%2015%20(Vanilla%20Ice%20Cream*)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cem%3E*%20internal%20codenames%3C%2Fem%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Key findings of Jenkins report
  • Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
  • Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
  • Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
  • Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."

Profile of Foodics

Founders: Ahmad AlZaini and Mosab AlOthmani

Based: Riyadh

Sector: Software

Employees: 150

Amount raised: $8m through seed and Series A - Series B raise ongoing

Funders: Raed Advanced Investment Co, Al-Riyadh Al Walid Investment Co, 500 Falcons, SWM Investment, AlShoaibah SPV, Faith Capital, Technology Investments Co, Savour Holding, Future Resources, Derayah Custody Co.

Infobox

Western Region Asia Cup Qualifier, Al Amerat, Oman

The two finalists advance to the next stage of qualifying, in Malaysia in August

Results

UAE beat Iran by 10 wickets

Kuwait beat Saudi Arabia by eight wickets

Oman beat Bahrain by nine wickets

Qatar beat Maldives by 106 runs

Monday fixtures

UAE v Kuwait, Iran v Saudi Arabia, Oman v Qatar, Maldives v Bahrain

Updated: September 19, 2021, 12:38 PM