The UAE recently announced COVID-19 safety measures for celebrations during Christmas and New Year. As per the updated protocols, venues are mandated to limit the capacity to 80 percent. All attendees are required to present their Al Hosn green pass when needed along with proof of a negative PCR test result conducted within 96 hours.

Furthermore, people are prohibited from hugging or shaking hands at gatherings to limit the spread of the virus. The protocols approved by the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA) also calls for temperature checks at entry points at the events and mandatory mask-wearing by everyone. Organisers are urged to install barriers to manage crowds.

The protocols were announced by the authorities during a weekly Coronavirus briefing on Wednesday.

During the event, families are allowed to sit together without following physical distancing measures. However, all other people are required to follow physical distancing of at least 1.5 metres.

The authorities will set up teams at the events to ensure compliance with safety protocols. However, individual COVID-19 rules may differ from emirate to emirate. For instance, Dubai's Crisis Committee set the rules including mandatory wearing of masks in public places by everyone.

During the briefing, UAE authorities hailed citizens and residents for their commitment to complying with Coronavirus safety rules. However, they urged them to ensure continuous adherence with the safety measures to promote steady recovery of the country from the pandemic.

Importance of Booster shots

The UAE government has underlined the importance of receiving a booster dose of COVID-19 vaccine to enhance the health and safety of the public.

“Based on studies and research issued by the World Health Organisation, it indicates that people who received a supportive dose were less infected than those who did not receive the support dose even if they were exposed to infection with mild symptoms,” a UAE government official said.