The new Al Hosn green pass rules have come into effect in Abu Dhabi.
The status of people who are fully vaccinated against Covid-19 will remain green as long as they have a PCR test once every 30 days.
People who received a second dose of the Sinopharm vaccine more than six months ago must take a booster shot to maintain their green status.
Authorities made the announcement last month and gave a 30-day grace period for people to receive the booster dose by September 20 to prevent their status from turning grey. That deadline expired on Monday.
The green status is required to enter many public places but those with grey status will be excluded.
Security staff at public buildings, shopping centres and restaurants will check that visitors have a green pass.
Unvaccinated people who have not received an official exemption, those who have not had a booster or failed to take a PCR test in the past 30 days will have grey status on the Al Hosn app.
The immunised-only list is made up of all shops, restaurants, cafes, gyms, recreational and sports centres and health clubs.
Resorts, museums, cultural centres and theme parks, plus universities, institutes, public and private schools and children’s nurseries, also appear on the list.
However, the green pass is no longer needed to enter Abu Dhabi from other emirates.
Drivers used to stop at the Ghantoot border to present proof of their virus-free status on Al Hosn, but recent announcements mean commuters can now plot a smooth course for Abu Dhabi without planning PCR tests in advance.
The border between Abu Dhabi and Dubai was closed on June 2, 2020. When it reopened, drivers were allowed to travel freely but were asked to show proof of a recent PCR test to cross into the emirate.
Officials announced on Saturday that the screening protocol would be removed after a welcome fall in infection rates in the capital.
An intensive testing programme and a rapid vaccination drive – allied to the public’s support of existing safety measures, such as the wearing of masks – has buoyed confidence in national efforts to overcome the virus.
More than 19.4 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine have been administered to the public, with more than 81 per cent of the population fully vaccinated.
The UAE has carried out about 80.7 million PCR tests, with daily testing rates regularly exceeding 300,000.
