Read also: Back to school in UAE: what parents and teachers need to know
School staff, teachers and pupils aged 12 and above who want to get vaccinated against Covid-19 ahead of the new term can visit two dedicated medical centres in Abu Dhabi.
New teachers, pupils and school employees can also get the jab, even if they do not yet have their Emirates IDs.
School staff and pupils aged 16 and above are now required to have had both Covid-19 vaccination jabs to enter schools in all emirates, apart from Dubai, unless they have a verified exemption certificate.
As there is a three-week gap between the two doses, the Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge recommends all members of the education community to get their first jab as early as possible.
Under new rules issued by the education authority, private school pupils in Abu Dhabi who are 12 years and above must also take a PCR test every two weeks.
Adek undersecretary Amer Al Hammadi said the government hoped parents will get their children vaccinated.
“With students aged 16 and above requiring vaccination to return to face-to-face in-school learning for the new academic year, the new vaccination centres are designed to make the process as easy as possible and facilitate a smooth return to school for the entire education community," he said.
First, second and third shots
The clinics are in the Green Halls at the Mina Zayed Vaccination Centre and Al Ain Convention Centre, and are open daily until October 31, from 8am until 8pm.
First, second and booster doses of Pfizer-BioNTech and Sinopharm vaccines are available, free of charge.
Appointments are not required, although students below the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. Visitors need to show their Emirates ID and a green or grey status on the Al Hosn app.
School staff and pupils who have newly arrived in the country can get the vaccine if they show their passport, entry permit with UID and an enrolment letter from a school for pupils, or an employee ID or an employment letter for staff.
The initiative was launched following the recent success of Adek's pop-up vaccination centre at Yas Mall, where over 1,800 students were vaccinated.
Four government departments have collaborated on the project, including Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (Adek), the Department of Health - Abu Dhabi (DoH), the Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre (ADPHC), and Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (Seha).
Hundreds of Abu Dhabi pupils vaccinated at pop-up centre at Yas Mall - in pictures
