With travel season at peak in the UAE, residents and tourists are facing long queues for PCR tests as they travel out of the country. Travellers have been advised to book for Covid-19 PCR tests at least 8-10 days before their scheduled flight. This is advised until the rush eases in the next 5-7 days. This applies especially to people who are flying to the US.

Mir Wasim Raja, manager, MICE and holidays, Galadari International Travel Services, says advance bookings for PCR tests will help UAE travellers ensure a smooth experience of travel. “Most clinics are offering test results after 24 hours or more. You can’t just walk in and say you want to take a six-hour test anymore. If the slot is available, they will give the result, but that’s not the case most of the time as they have limited testing capacities."

"There are a few clinics who are issuing Covid-19 test results in six to eight hours but they are charging a premium, costing up to Dh250 per test. Travellers should, therefore, make bookings with the healthcare services providers a week in advance to ensure that they get a good rate for the Covid-19 test and also get the result in time.”

Avinash Adnani, managing director of Pluto Travels, expects long queues for Covid-19 tests to soon be over. Majority of tourists who traveled to Dubai for the New Year have returned to their countries. Only the general population and regular travellers will be taking Covid-19 tests now. “You have to book the tests in advance; that’s the main solution. The best is to plan in advance because you know the date of travel,” he advised. He said that the major challenge is for the people, especially students, who are travelling to the US, as the US government requires them to take the Covid-19 tests one day before departure.

“A lot of the student population is in the country right now and are travelling back. They are anxious because the US is the only country at the moment, which is asking for a one-day test, while the rest of the countries are asking for tests with a validity of 48 hours and above,” he added.

“We expect that this thing should ease out, because a lot of people had to travel out after the New Year this week and they all had to get a test done. A large chunk of tourists has already left the country in the first week. Now it’s only the regular travellers and local UAE population who are getting the tests done. So, we expect the rush to subside in the next 5-7 days compared to the first week of January,” added Adnani.