Select residents entering Abu Dhabi can now be free of quarantine formalities. UAE residents vaccinated against the coronavirus will no longer have to wear wristbands or quarantine for 14 days. The new rule applies to all residents returning to Abu Dhabi from abroad.
No Quarantine, PCR & DPI Tests For Residents Who Have Vaccinated
The Abu Dhabi Emergency, Crisis and Disasters Committee announced that those participating in the Phase III clinical trials of the Covid vaccine are now exempt from quarantine rules. In addition, the new rule allow vaccinated individuals to enter Abu Dhabi without PCR and DPI tests. A number of senior official in the UAE, including Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Ruler of Dubai, have also been vaccinated.
Vaccinated Residents Traveling Abroad Must Take PCR Test
Vaccinated residents entering Abu Dhabi don’t require PCR and DPI tests. However, all vaccinated residents who are travelling abroad will still be required to take a PCR test before their flights. Besides, participants in the Phase 3 trials must also take a PCR test on arrival in the emirate. On the other hand, participants in the National Vaccination Programme must take a nasal swab test on arrival, as well as on the fourth and eighth day after they have landed. All residents who have received a vaccination must continue to take a PCR test every two weeks, under the guidelines.
When Do The Changes Come Into Force?
Earlier, Sheikh Mohammed Ruler of Dubai received the Covid-19 vaccine on 3 November. “While receiving the Covid-19 vaccine today. We wish everyone safety and great health, and we are proud of our teams who have worked relentlessly to make the vaccine available in the UAE. The future will always be better in the UAE,” he tweeted.
UAE’s Phase-3 trial involved 31,000 volunteers in the Emirates, Bahrain and Jordan. The jab was administered to frontline medical workers, senior officials and some members of the Cabinet, after it received approval from the UAE Government for limited use in September.