The Ministry of Health Prevention, MoHAP and the Ministry of Interior, MoI have announced, in collaboration with relevant federal and local authorities, the 'National Disinfection Programme' which entails a complete sterilisation of all public utilities, public transport and metro services during the weekend.

The programme will begin at 8pm on Thursday, 26 March and ends at 6am on Sunday, 29 March 2020.

During this period, the movement of the traffic and the public will be restricted, while public transpiration and metro services will be halted.

MoHAP urged the public to stay at home during the disinfection time and not to go out unless it's absolutely necessary to get essential supplies, such as food and medicine, or working in vital sectors, including energy, telcommunications, health, education, security, law enforcement, military, postal service, shipping and logistics, medicines, water, food, civil aviation, airports, passports, banking and financial services, government media and the service sectors, including petrol stations and construction.

The workers' personal or work identity will be checked and verified.

Pharmacies, and food retail outlets in the UAE, including cooperative societies, grocery stores, and supermarkets, will be allowed to operate 24 hours, as per a circular issued earlier by the Ministry of Health and Prevention and the National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Management Authority, NCEMA.