Latest: UAE mask rules dropped in most public places as authorities relax Covid restrictions
Face masks are no longer required in many indoor places and quarantine rules have been relaxed under a major overhaul of the UAE's Covid-19 safety measures which came into force on Wednesday.
Face coverings are now optional for staff and pupils at schools, many workers heading to offices, visitors to indoor venues such as malls and restaurants and on many flights operated by UAE airlines.
People will only be required to wear face coverings in places of worship, hospitals and on public transport - which includes buses, metros and taxis, - the authorities said in a televised briefing on Monday.
The relaxation of Covid-19 protocols comes amid a sharp drop in infection rates in recent months.
But other rules remain in place to help to win the fight against the disease.
Here is The National’s guide to the latest Covid-19 rules.
Mask mandates lifted
Members of the public have been required to wear masks in indoor settings, such as at malls and when entering restaurants and cafes, under safety rules in place since the early stages of the pandemic.
In February, however, authorities lifted the requirement to wear face coverings outside.
Now wearing masks will be optional in most indoor settings.
From Wednesday, schools nationwide will not require children or teachers to wear masks.
Staff at restaurants and other eateries would still be required to wear masks while working.
Airlines lift mask requirements
Emirates airline, Etihad Airways and flydubai have announced that passengers are no longer required to wear masks on flights to Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
“Wearing a face mask is optional in the UAE and on Emirates flights,” Emirates said on its website.
“If you are travelling from or transiting through Dubai International, the mask rules of your destination will apply throughout your journey.”
Flydubai said wearing masks was no longer mandatory on its flights to the emirate.
“Effective from September 28 [Wednesday], passengers travelling to Dubai do not need to wear a face mask while on board their flight,” guidance on the airline's website said.
“At the airport, wearing a face mask is optional and not mandatory.”
It said travellers flying out of Dubai would have to follow mask rules in place at the destination they were travelling to.
“The requirement for passengers travelling from or through Dubai to wear a face mask is determined by the rules applicable at the final destination or transit point.”
Masks will be optional in Dubai Airports from Wednesday, officials have confirmed.
The decision comes as Emirates and Flydubai also confirmed that flights do not have to be worn on services into the city.
"It is not mandatory for passengers to wear face masks at Dubai International (DXB) and Dubai World Central (DWC) effective Wednesday, September 28, 2022," a statement from the airport operator read.
Etihad Airways said on Tuesday that masks on its flights are optional “following the easing of Covid-19 restrictions in Abu Dhabi”.
For outbound flights, the national airline said masks “will only be required for passengers flying to China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Maldives, Philippines, South Korea, Seychelles” as well as Canada until September 30.
Green pass validity extended
Vaccinated people and those with exemptions will be required to have tests once every 30 days to keep Al Hosn app green. It was every 14 days previously.
Those who are unvaccinated must take a PCR test every seven days to maintain green status.
Active green pass status is required to enter many public buildings in the capital, including malls, supermarkets and restaurants.
Al Hosn allows the user to show proof they have taken a coronavirus vaccine, or had a recent test.
People in Abu Dhabi have been required to display proof of their Green status since August 20, 2021, to enter supermarkets, malls and gyms, among other premises.
Testing positive for Covid-19
The UAE will require people who catch Covid-19 to quarantine at home for five days instead of 10 under the relaxed measures confirmed on Monday.
People exposed to infected cases must take a PCR test, while vulnerable groups are asked to undertake a test and monitor their condition for seven days.
People exposed to infected cases must undergo a PCR test. Vulnerable people exposed to an infected person are advised to undergo a lab test and monitor their condition for seven days.
Close contact
As of March 25, quarantine is not required for those who came in close contact with a positive case of Covid-19. The directive was issued by the National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Management Authority (Ncema).
However, they must undergo a PCR test on day one and seven, or when the contact starts showing symptoms of Covid-19.
Each emirate has the freedom to set its own rules and in Dubai, close contacts of positive cases who are not experiencing any symptoms do not have to take a PCR test.
Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre advises family members of positive cases to avoid contact with the patient and conduct PCR tests when required. All household members are urged to stay at home until the patient returns a negative tests.
School safety
From Wednesday, schools nationwide will not require children or teachers to wear masks.
Classrooms emptied and pupils switched to distance learning in the early months of the pandemic.
The UAE has sought to ease safety rules in recent months, including a widespread return to in-person education.
In early April, the Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge relaxed school-related Covid-19 prevention protocols.
The protocols removed classroom and bubble closure requirements.
Travelling to Abu Dhabi and Dubai from abroad
As of February, passengers flying to Abu Dhabi and Dubai from all countries do not require a PCR test before flying if fully vaccinated.
Those not vaccinated must present a negative Covid-19 result issued within 48 hours of their flight or a valid medical certificate demonstrating they had recovered from Covid-19 within one month of their arrival.
It is now no longer mandatory to take a PCR test upon arrival in Abu Dhabi International Airport.
The UAE lifted a ban on overseas travel for unvaccinated Emiratis in April.
Citizens must present a negative result from a PCR test taken within 48 hours of travel under the updated Covid-19 safety measures announced on Wednesday.
They must also complete travel forms in Al Hosn app to turn their application status green.
Authorities had prevented unvaccinated citizens from travelling from January 10 as part of efforts to limit the spread of the virus.
Travelling abroad from UAE
If travelling from the UAE, passengers must check the requirements of the country they are travelling to because these change frequently.
When travelling from Dubai with Emirates airline, a PCR test before departure is not needed, unless the destination requires it.
When travelling from Abu Dhabi with Etihad Airways, you need to take a test only if it is required at your final destination.
Racecard
6.35pm: American Business Council – Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Dirt) 1,600m
7.10pm: British Business Group – Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (D) 1,200m
7.45pm: CCI France UAE – Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (D) 1,400m
8.20pm: Czech Business Council – Rated Conditions (TB) Dh105,000 (D) 1,400m
8.55pm: Netherlands Business Council – Rated Conditions (TB) Dh95,000 (D) 1,600m
9.30pm: Indian Business and Professional Council – Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (D) 1,200m
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
THE BIO
Bio Box
Role Model: Sheikh Zayed, God bless his soul
Favorite book: Zayed Biography of the leader
Favorite quote: To be or not to be, that is the question, from William Shakespeare's Hamlet
Favorite food: seafood
Favorite place to travel: Lebanon
Favorite movie: Braveheart
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20SAMSUNG%20GALAXY%20Z%20FLIP5
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MWTC
Tickets start from Dh100 for adults and are now on sale at www.ticketmaster.ae and Virgin Megastores across the UAE. Three-day and travel packages are also available at 20 per cent discount.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Qyubic
Started: October 2023
Founder: Namrata Raina
Based: Dubai
Sector: E-commerce
Current number of staff: 10
Investment stage: Pre-seed
Initial investment: Undisclosed
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How it works
Booklava works on a subscription model. On signing up you receive a free book as part of a 30-day-trial period, after which you pay US$9.99 (Dh36.70) per month to gain access to a library of books and discounts of up to 30 per cent on selected titles. You can cancel your subscription at any time. For more details go to www.booklava.com
Which honey takes your fancy?
Al Ghaf Honey
The Al Ghaf tree is a local desert tree which bears the harsh summers with drought and high temperatures. From the rich flowers, bees that pollinate this tree can produce delicious red colour honey in June and July each year
Sidr Honey
The Sidr tree is an evergreen tree with long and strong forked branches. The blossom from this tree is called Yabyab, which provides rich food for bees to produce honey in October and November. This honey is the most expensive, but tastiest
Samar Honey
The Samar tree trunk, leaves and blossom contains Barm which is the secret of healing. You can enjoy the best types of honey from this tree every year in May and June. It is an historical witness to the life of the Emirati nation which represents the harsh desert and mountain environments
Dengue%20fever%20symptoms
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Liverpool's all-time goalscorers
Ian Rush 346
Roger Hunt 285
Mohamed Salah 250
Gordon Hodgson 241
Billy Liddell 228
Mica
Director: Ismael Ferroukhi
Stars: Zakaria Inan, Sabrina Ouazani
3 stars
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
yallacompare profile
Date of launch: 2014
Founder: Jon Richards, founder and chief executive; Samer Chebab, co-founder and chief operating officer, and Jonathan Rawlings, co-founder and chief financial officer
Based: Media City, Dubai
Sector: Financial services
Size: 120 employees
Investors: 2014: $500,000 in a seed round led by Mulverhill Associates; 2015: $3m in Series A funding led by STC Ventures (managed by Iris Capital), Wamda and Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority; 2019: $8m in Series B funding with the same investors as Series A along with Precinct Partners, Saned and Argo Ventures (the VC arm of multinational insurer Argo Group)
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Coffee: black death or elixir of life?
It is among the greatest health debates of our time; splashed across newspapers with contradicting headlines - is coffee good for you or not?
Depending on what you read, it is either a cancer-causing, sleep-depriving, stomach ulcer-inducing black death or the secret to long life, cutting the chance of stroke, diabetes and cancer.
The latest research - a study of 8,412 people across the UK who each underwent an MRI heart scan - is intended to put to bed (caffeine allowing) conflicting reports of the pros and cons of consumption.
The study, funded by the British Heart Foundation, contradicted previous findings that it stiffens arteries, putting pressure on the heart and increasing the likelihood of a heart attack or stroke, leading to warnings to cut down.
Numerous studies have recognised the benefits of coffee in cutting oral and esophageal cancer, the risk of a stroke and cirrhosis of the liver.
The benefits are often linked to biologically active compounds including caffeine, flavonoids, lignans, and other polyphenols, which benefit the body. These and othetr coffee compounds regulate genes involved in DNA repair, have anti-inflammatory properties and are associated with lower risk of insulin resistance, which is linked to type-2 diabetes.
But as doctors warn, too much of anything is inadvisable. The British Heart Foundation found the heaviest coffee drinkers in the study were most likely to be men who smoked and drank alcohol regularly.
Excessive amounts of coffee also unsettle the stomach causing or contributing to stomach ulcers. It also stains the teeth over time, hampers absorption of minerals and vitamins like zinc and iron.
It also raises blood pressure, which is largely problematic for people with existing conditions.
So the heaviest drinkers of the black stuff - some in the study had up to 25 cups per day - may want to rein it in.
Rory Reynolds
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
What went into the film
25 visual effects (VFX) studios
2,150 VFX shots in a film with 2,500 shots
1,000 VFX artists
3,000 technicians
10 Concept artists, 25 3D designers
New sound technology, named 4D SRL
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
Dhadak
Director: Shashank Khaitan
Starring: Janhvi Kapoor, Ishaan Khattar, Ashutosh Rana
Stars: 3
A list of the animal rescue organisations in the UAE
DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin
Director: Shawn Levy
Rating: 3/5
The specs: 2018 Chevrolet Trailblazer
Price, base / as tested Dh99,000 / Dh132,000
Engine 3.6L V6
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Power 275hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque 350Nm @ 3,700rpm
Fuel economy combined 12.2L / 100km
