Find out how Dubai authorities are spreading the 'stay home' message

This is one phone message you shouldn’t ignore…

In order to get the ‘stay home’ message out to the general public, authorities in Dubai and the UAE are using a number of methods.

For those of us who still pick up the phone to make a call, you might have noticed a new message this morning.

When placing an outgoing call in Dubai, Du and Virgin users have been greeted by a recorded message that says:

“Dear caller, staying at home keeps you and your loved ones safe from Covid-19.”

The message is first relayed in Arabic, so if you’re not fluent in the local tongue, don’t hang up: your call will be connected as usual once the English version has been read.

It’s just one of many new ways Dubai and the UAE authorities are imploring people to stay at home in an attempt to stop the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

Last night, the Burj Khalifa was lit up with the phrase, #stayhome, solidifying the announcement yesterday that all UAE residents should stay in their homes except if they need to leave for essential work, groceries or medicines.

We’ve also seen reports of Dubai Police driving around the streets in JBR and Deira, advising anyone who’s out and about to return to their homes.

We’re all in this together, and staying in and practicing social distancing is the best known way to ‘flatten the curve’ and reduce the spread of Covid-19. By doing our bit and staying at home, we are protecting those in our community who are more vulnerable to the coronavirus, including the elderly and the ill.

Over the past few days, the UAE authorities have moved to close restaurants, shopping malls, beaches, pools and parks, in addition to the raft of closures that were announced last week.

Starting tomorrow, the UAE will also suspend all passenger flights and transits through UAE airports for two weeks.