Face masks are no longer required in most indoor public places in the UAE as sweeping changes to Covid-19 safety rules came into effect on Wednesday.
The easing of the mandate is a significant step forward in the country's fight against the virus, which first emerged in late 2019 and swiftly spread around the globe.
Under the overhaul of safety measures, face coverings are now optional in schools, venues such as malls, restaurants and places of work, and on flights to the Emirates.
Head teachers welcomed the lifting of face mask rules ― announced on Monday ― and said it will have a positive effect on children's development.
Rebecca Coulter, principal at Dubai British School Jumeirah Park, said this was a day school principals had been waiting for.
“We are thrilled at the news that masks will no longer need to be worn in school,” Ms Coulter said.
“It will be great to see people’s faces, smiles and reactions.
Emirates airline, Etihad Airways and flydubai 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.”
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.
People will be required to wear face coverings only 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 during a sharp drop in infection rates in recent months.
Daily infection rates ― which were as high as 1,800 in early July ― have stayed below 500 since August and are at their lowest levels since May.
Until now, people had to wear a mask until they were seated or eating in a cafe or restaurant.
Face masks have been central to local and international efforts to save lives and reduce infections.
For much of the pandemic, people in the UAE were mandated to wear face coverings in indoor and outdoor settings.
In February authorities lifted the requirement to wear face coverings outside.
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Key facilities
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- Premier League-standard football pitch
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- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
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- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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China
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UAE
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Japan
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Norway
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Canada
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Singapore
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Australia
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Saudi Arabia
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South Korea
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
JAPAN SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Masaaki Higashiguchi, Shuichi Gonda, Daniel Schmidt
Defenders: Yuto Nagatomo, Tomoaki Makino, Maya Yoshida, Sho Sasaki, Hiroki Sakai, Sei Muroya, Genta Miura, Takehiro Tomiyasu
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Forwards: Yuya Osako, Takuma Asano, Koya Kitagawa
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Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
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Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Where to donate in the UAE
The Emirates Charity Portal
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
Al Noor Special Needs Centre
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Emirates Airline Foundation
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
Emirates Red Crescent
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Noor Dubai Foundation
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
