The UAE’s National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA) has announced changes to the COVID-19 rules across the United Arab Emirates. One of the major changes is that it is no longer mandatory in MOST indoor settings.
This announcement was made during a media briefing on Monday (September 26, 2022) and takes effect from September 28, 2022. Here are some important points:
No Need for Masks in Most Indoor Locations
- Masks in all indoor locations, including hotels, schools, and shopping malls will now be optional.
Masks Required Only in the Following Locations
- You must still wear a mask when using public transportation, going to mosques, or inside the hospitals/medical areas.
- All food service providers will still be required to wear a mask at all times.
- Those who are suspected of having COVID-19 are still required to wear masks at all times.
Airlines
Wearing a face mask inside flights is no longer mandatory. However, airline companies may enforce their own policy as they deem necessary.
Al Hosn App
- Having Green Pass Status in the Al Hosn App is still required to access tourist attractions, hotels, and shopping malls in Abu Dhabi.
- If you are fully vaccinated, the Green Pass in the Al Hosn App will now be valid for 30 days following a negative PCR test rather than the previous 14 days.
- If you are not fully vaccinated, Green Pass will remain active for 7 days following a negative PCR test result.
So these are the changes to the COVID-19 rules across the United Arab Emirates from September 28, 2022. Please remember to follow all the necessary precautions even though most indoor locations will no longer require masks.
Everyone is still advised to continue to be alert and still practice important safety measures and social responsibility. Even if the COVID-19 virus has been managed, the virus is still present around us, and we should not let our guard down.
Below is the post from NCEMA on their official Twitter page about this latest developments:
#الطوارئ_والأزمات: نعلن في إحاطتنا اليوم عن تخفيف عدد من القيود المتعلقة بجائحة #كوفيد19 على مستوى الدولة والتحديثات الحاصلة بها على شتى القطاعات، وسيتم تطبيق كافة هذه الشروط ابتداءً من يوم الأربعاء الموافق 28 سبتمبر 2022.#يدا_بيد_نتعافى pic.twitter.com/xJm3xvN5uu
— NCEMA UAE (@NCEMAUAE) September 26, 2022
Here’s another post by UAE news agency WAM regarding this update:
المتحدث الرسمي عن "الطوارئ والأزمات": نؤكد بأن كافة الإجراءات المحدثة والتي سنعلن عنها في احاطتنا اليوم، أتت بعد التقصي المستمر والنشط للوضع الوبائي في الدولة ومراقبة التحورات من خلال الفحص الجيني المستمر ومراقبة نسبة الاشغال ونسب الدخول للمستشفيات والعناية المركزة#وام pic.twitter.com/wEbbwLvKeq
— وكالة أنباء الإمارات (@wamnews) September 26, 2022