Contactless thermal scanners and virus-killing UV lighting are among the key safety precautions lined up for Dubai’s first Covid-proof nursery.
New rules on how nurseries must operate in the pandemic era forced architects to rethink how buildings should be laid out.
A new Ladybird Nursery, scheduled to open next year in Al Barsha, promises strong safety standards in an attempt to reassure parents their youngsters are protected from the virus.
Those behind the project claim it will meet the highest environmental and energy standards, with its design focused on social distancing rules and government Covid-19 protocols.
"We always had thermal screening in mind for the new building," said Monica Valrani, chief executive at Ladybird Nurseries.
“We have seen UV lighting in the air-conditioning ducts work in other companies, so we thought the nursery would be the ideal setting to install them with coronavirus in mind.”
On completion in 2021, the facility will have capacity for 195 children, although current measures reduce that to 50 per cent to ensure adequate social distancing.
It will follow the British Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum.
The group already has nurseries in Jumeirah 1 and Jumeirah Village Circle.
Children went back to nursery in September under tough new guidelines set by the Knowledge and Human Development Authority.
Regulations included mandatory Covid-19 tests for staff, temperature screening for all arrivals, staff face-masks and early learning bubbles of reduced class sizes.
Other measures call for regular cleaning of toys and equipment, and the mandatory changing of clothes by staff when they leave the nursery and return.
“The transition towards the government safety regulations was fairly smooth,” Ms Valrani said.
“It has been a month and we have had no issues up to now.
“There is signage everywhere and temperature checks are being done three times a day.
“A lot of extra measures are in place but good social distancing continues to be one of the most important.”
Staff made videos of themselves wearing protective equipment to send to children, before arriving back at the nursery to prepare them for their new environment.
It helped reduce the fear factor in younger children, Ms Valrani said.
The new nursery, which received academic plan approval from the Ministry of Education during the outbreak, will be in close proximity to several schools, including American School of Dubai, Dubai American Academy and Dubai International Academy.
In partnership with the Knowledge Fund of Dubai, the learning centre spread across 5,945 square metres will be built with the pandemic in mind.
"We believe that Ladybird Nursery and this project will be an exceptional added value to the education scene in Dubai," said Hesham Al Qaizi, chief executive of Dubai Government's Knowledge Fund.
"We gladly take on our mission with the simple yet cherished goal of ensuring a better and brighter tomorrow for our children."
Manchester United's summer dealings
In
Victor Lindelof (Benfica) £30.7 million
Romelu Lukaku (Everton) £75 million
Nemanja Matic (Chelsea) £40 million
Out
Zlatan Ibrahimovic Released
Wayne Rooney (Everton) Free transfer
Adnan Januzaj (Real Sociedad) £9.8 million
THE LOWDOWN
Romeo Akbar Walter
Rating: 2/5 stars
Produced by: Dharma Productions, Azure Entertainment
Directed by: Robby Grewal
Cast: John Abraham, Mouni Roy, Jackie Shroff and Sikandar Kher
The specs
Engine: 2.4-litre 4-cylinder
Transmission: CVT auto
Power: 181bhp
Torque: 244Nm
Price: Dh122,900
What is graphene?
Graphene is a single layer of carbon atoms arranged like honeycomb.
It was discovered in 2004, when Russian-born Manchester scientists Andrei Geim and Kostya Novoselov were "playing about" with sticky tape and graphite - the material used as "lead" in pencils.
Placing the tape on the graphite and peeling it, they managed to rip off thin flakes of carbon. In the beginning they got flakes consisting of many layers of graphene. But as they repeated the process many times, the flakes got thinner.
By separating the graphite fragments repeatedly, they managed to create flakes that were just one atom thick. Their experiment had led to graphene being isolated for the very first time.
At the time, many believed it was impossible for such thin crystalline materials to be stable. But examined under a microscope, the material remained stable, and when tested was found to have incredible properties.
It is many times times stronger than steel, yet incredibly lightweight and flexible. It is electrically and thermally conductive but also transparent. The world's first 2D material, it is one million times thinner than the diameter of a single human hair.
But the 'sticky tape' method would not work on an industrial scale. Since then, scientists have been working on manufacturing graphene, to make use of its incredible properties.
In 2010, Geim and Novoselov were awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics. Their discovery meant physicists could study a new class of two-dimensional materials with unique properties.
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
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
