DKG has placed Abu Dhabi first on a list of cities ranked for their handling of the pandemic…

It’s only in the most testing of times, we can evaluate the true strength of a subject.

And it’s a ‘subject’ that respected London-based analytics consortium, Deep Knowledge Group (DKG) knows a thing or two about. They’ve recently compiled a list of the top 25 cities that have demonstrated the best response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

And guess who came out on top? Well, there may have been a spoiler in the title, but yes, it was our very own Abu Dhabi.

The ranking is based on 50 parameters in five broad categories, including healthcare management, vaccination rates, government efficiency, efficient health quarantine systems, and resilience of the economy. The survey evaluated both the individual key aspects and the overall efficacy of the holistic pandemic response.

Abu Dhabi edged out other notably safe cities in Seoul, Sydney, Singapore, Ottawa and Berlin to take a deeply meaningful top spot on the list.

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The city was praised for keeping a low rate of positive cases, and for its speed in setting up field hospitals, reaching the vulnerable, mass testing centres (so much so that Abu Dhabi is now a PCR test processing hub for other countries) and screening facilities, including drive-through options.

The capital was also quick to help those that felt the economic brunt of the global health crisis. The Ghadan 21 project saw the suspension of certain types of fees, levies and charges, along with a multi-billion dirham financial stimulus package.

Abu Dhabi also spearheaded the research and development effort, not least in pioneering the world’s first Phase III trials of an inactivated viral vaccine. And the UAE is still close to the very top of the table in per capita vaccinations, over half of those in the country eligible for a vaccine have had one.

And then there’s the Hope Consortium, positioning Abu Dhabi as a global hub for logistics, storing and transport of multiple vaccine types.

And that seems like a pretty good place to leave it. On Hope. Congratulations Abu Dhabi on your well-deserved table-topping.

Images: Getty