UAE public supports return to offices and schools as confidence in Covid strategy grows


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Public confidence in the UAE's Covid-19 recovery strategy continues to grow as schools, offices and places of worship resume operations in a gradual return to normality.

Nasser Al Zaabi, a spokesman for the Ministry of Community Development, said measures taken by the government to overcome the pandemic had been well received by the public.

An extensive vaccination campaign has been central to maintaining trust in government efforts to limit the spread of the virus, he said.

"The community has a vital role to play in combating any challenge. During the Covid-19 pandemic, we realised the importance of safeguarding the community’s health and safety to reach safe recovery for all members of the community,' said Mr Al Zaabi during the weekly coronavirus briefing.

Mr Al Zaabi said polling conducted by the ministry showed an increase in confidence among respondents from 25 per cent in April, 2020 to 95 per cent in August this year.

The spokesman said optimism among those surveyed about the country's Covid-19 response had risen from 34 per cent in April of last year to 94 per cent in August.

The ministry survey found 79 per cent of people backed the full return of staff to offices, with 90 per cent in support of welcoming worshippers to mosques and 73 per cent in favour of pupils returning to classrooms.

The UAE has gradually allowed schools, businesses and places of worship to open their doors in line with Covid-19 safety measures as part of a wider strategy to bolster the economy and bring back a sense of normality following 18 months of disruption caused by the pandemic.

"UAE provided the vaccine via a national campaign targeting all age groups, making senior citizens and people of determination a priority," said Mr Al Zaabi.

This priority has been extended to school pupils to ensure safe and effective vaccination for all, he said.

More than 19 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine have been administered to the public to date, with 90.8 per cent of the population having received one dose and 79.63 per cent being fully vaccinated.

"The UAE is one of the first countries to recover from the pandemic by providing the necessary elements needed to return to normal life, the most important of which is the vaccine," said Mr Al Zaabi.

As vaccination rates steadily rise, daily infection numbers continue to drop.

On Tuesday, the UAE recorded 617 new cases, its lowest tally in more than a year.

Infections have declined throughout the summer months, having peaked at close to 4,000 a day in February.

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Auður Ava Ólafsdóttir
Pushkin Press

Director: Laxman Utekar

Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna

Rating: 1/5

The Book of Collateral Damage

Sinan Antoon

(Yale University Press)

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Directors: Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi

Stars: Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah

Rating: 4/5

Why seagrass matters
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  • Marine nursery: Crucial habitat for juvenile fish, crustations, and invertebrates
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If you go

The flights

Fly direct to London from the UAE with Etihad, Emirates, British Airways or Virgin Atlantic from about Dh2,500 return including taxes. 

The hotel

Rooms at the convenient and art-conscious Andaz London Liverpool Street cost from £167 (Dh800) per night including taxes.

The tour

The Shoreditch Street Art Tour costs from £15 (Dh73) per person for approximately three hours. 

MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League, last 16, first leg

Liverpool v Bayern Munich, midnight (Wednesday), BeIN Sports

The biog

Name: Abeer Al Shahi

Emirate: Sharjah – Khor Fakkan

Education: Master’s degree in special education, preparing for a PhD in philosophy.

Favourite activities: Bungee jumping

Favourite quote: “My people and I will not settle for anything less than first place” – Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid.

HAJJAN
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Countries recognising Palestine

France, UK, Canada, Australia, Portugal, Belgium, Malta, Luxembourg, San Marino and Andorra

 

EA Sports FC 25
MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg

Barcelona v Liverpool, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE).

Second leg

Liverpool v Barcelona, Tuesday, May 7, 11pm

Games on BeIN Sports

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  5. Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months
PREMIER LEAGUE FIXTURES

All kick-off times UAE ( 4 GMT)

Saturday
Liverpool v Manchester United - 3.30pm
Burnley v West Ham United - 6pm
Crystal Palace v Chelsea - 6pm
Manchester City v Stoke City - 6pm
Swansea City v Huddersfield Town - 6pm
Tottenham Hotspur v Bournemouth - 6pm
Watford v Arsenal - 8.30pm

Sunday
Brighton and Hove Albion v Everton - 4.30pm
Southampton v Newcastle United - 7pm

Monday
Leicester City v West Bromwich Albion - 11pm

About Krews

Founder: Ahmed Al Qubaisi

Based: Abu Dhabi

Founded: January 2019

Number of employees: 10

Sector: Technology/Social media 

Funding to date: Estimated $300,000 from Hub71 in-kind support

 

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The Africa Institute 101

Housed on the same site as the original Africa Hall, which first hosted an Arab-African Symposium in 1976, the newly renovated building will be home to a think tank and postgraduate studies hub (it will offer master’s and PhD programmes). The centre will focus on both the historical and contemporary links between Africa and the Gulf, and will serve as a meeting place for conferences, symposia, lectures, film screenings, plays, musical performances and more. In fact, today it is hosting a symposium – 5-plus-1: Rethinking Abstraction that will look at the six decades of Frank Bowling’s career, as well as those of his contemporaries that invested social, cultural and personal meaning into abstraction. 

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Engine: 51.5kW electric motor

Range: 400km

Power: 134bhp

Torque: 175Nm

Price: From Dh98,800

Available: Now

Living in...

This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.

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Aaron Finch (capt), Shaun Marsh, Travis Head, Chris Lynn, Glenn Maxwell, D'Arcy Short, Marcus Stoinis, Alex Carey, Ashton Agar, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Adam Zampa

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India (from)
Virat Kohli (captain), Murali Vijay, Lokesh Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, Hardik Pandya, Dinesh Karthik (wkt), Ravichandran Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Ishant Sharma, Mohammad Shami, Jasprit Bumrah.

Financial considerations before buying a property

Buyers should try to pay as much in cash as possible for a property, limiting the mortgage value to as little as they can afford. This means they not only pay less in interest but their monthly costs are also reduced. Ideally, the monthly mortgage payment should not exceed 20 per cent of the purchaser’s total household income, says Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching.

“If it’s a rental property, plan for the property to have periods when it does not have a tenant. Ensure you have enough cash set aside to pay the mortgage and other costs during these periods, ideally at least six months,” she says. 

Also, shop around for the best mortgage interest rate. Understand the terms and conditions, especially what happens after any introductory periods, Ms Glynn adds.

Using a good mortgage broker is worth the investment to obtain the best rate available for a buyer’s needs and circumstances. A good mortgage broker will help the buyer understand the terms and conditions of the mortgage and make the purchasing process efficient and easier. 

The specS: 2018 Toyota Camry

Price: base / as tested: Dh91,000 / Dh114,000

Engine: 3.5-litre V6

Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic

Power: 298hp @ 6,600rpm

Torque: 356Nm @ 4,700rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 7.0L / 100km

Living in...

This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.

Emergency phone numbers in the UAE

Estijaba – 8001717 –  number to call to request coronavirus testing

Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111

Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre

Emirates airline – 600555555

Etihad Airways – 600555666

Ambulance – 998

Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries

Updated: September 15, 2021, 3:57 AM`