His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, addressed citizens and resident of the UAE with a message, where he emphasised the importance of following regulations during the holy month of Ramadan and the Eid festivities that follow.

This came during the fourth episode this Ramadan, of Majlis Mohamed bin Zayed, which focused on the progress the UAE has made in its fight against the spread of the COVID-19 virus. His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed expressed his gratitude and stressed the importance of the collective effort and contribution by all members of the community to overcome this challenge.

He was joined by H.H. Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Court and Chairman of Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority (ECA), and his grandchildren: Sheikha Shamma bint Khalid bin Mohamed Al Nahyan, Sheikh Mohamed bin Nahyan bin Saif Al Nahyan, Sheikha Fatima bint Mohamed Al Nahyan, and Sheikha Fatima bint Theyab bin Mohamed Al Nahyan.

His Highness spoke about the importance of volunteer work and commended community members' efforts to support the country in overcoming the COVID-19 challenge.

His Highness said: "Today, everyone in the world is fighting this battle. However, what distinguishes one country from another is team leaders, members, and volunteers who have made the UAE among the top 10 countries in combating this pandemic."

His Highness also picked up on the insights shared by the expert guests on the importance of following regulations during the holy month of Ramadan and the Eid festivities that follow. He recognised the importance of family during these special times. Yet, he also noted that the recent increase in cases was due to the reluctance of people to practise social distancing.
His Highness added: "Unfortunately, by virtue of tradition, we started seeing an increase in the number of cases. I ask all our residents and citizens, especially during the Eid period and for the remainder of Ramadan, to protect themselves and protect our families and our children."

The episode, titled ‘Honoring our Traditions, Valuing our Safety’, featured Obaid Al-Hassan Al Shamsi, Director-General of the National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Management Authority (NCEMA), Matar Al Nuaimi, Director-General of the Abu Dhabi Public Health Center and Director of Emergency and Disaster Management Division, Department of Health, and Dr Farida Al Hosani, official spokesperson for the UAE health sector.

The episode also featured heartfelt stories from volunteers and community members, working together on the frontline to combat this unprecedented challenge. The episode was aired live on Emarat TV and Sama Dubai on Thursday, 21 May 2020, and will be replayed next Monday. All episodes are available to view on YouTube.

Dr Farida Al Hosani, official spokesperson for the UAE health sector, spoke extensively on the evolution of the UAE's response to the crisis, from early detection to quick intervention and control. She explained the necessary measures taken by the country to prevent the disease from spreading. Throughout her insightful talk, she explained the indicators that the UAE is tracking daily to understand the pandemic's status better locally.

She also touched on the near future and explained that people would need to adjust to a new lifestyle that will better protect them and their families. "Our main focus remains on preventive measures, such as physical distancing, wearing face masks, and hand-washing. And today, we know that COVID-19 is here to stay for a while, and these healthy habits should be the new lifestyle that we will need to adopt in the coming period."

WAM