Advice comes amid rising Covid-19 cases…

With the influx of travel over the festive season and the new Omicron Covid-19 variant, cases are steadily rising in the UAE. Residents have now been urged by a government health spokesperson to take regular PCR tests, especially prior to meeting friends and family, especially those with chronic diseases.

During a weekly Covid-19 meeting, government health spokeswoman Dr Noura Al Ghaithi highlighted the importance of regular PCR testing on limiting the spread of the virus, in terms of being able to identify early infections and track who has come into contact with someone infected.

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Dr Al Ghaithi said: “Since the beginning of the pandemic, the regular PCR check-ups have been proven as a key method for early detection of infections, identify those who came in contact with cases and to control the cases.”

She continued: “Therefore, we advise everyone to conduct a PCR test, especially before family visits or gatherings, and when meeting the elderly and those with chronic diseases.”

There are currently 25,258 active cases of Covid-19 in the UAE. New cases, at present, stand at 2687, taking the overall total of infections, to date, to 777,584.

Rules and restrictions surrounding the pandemic changed a lot throughout the past year. However as per December 21, 2021 these are the latest rules to abide by:

  • Social distancing measures were reduced from two metres to one
  • Restaurants can have up to 10 guests on one table, while cafes can have up to six
  • Dancing is still not allowed
  • To enter a government facility (from January 3) you will need a green pass on your Al Hosn app
  • Hotels can operate at full capacity while entertainment venues can run at 70 per cent
  • Weddings of up to 100 people can be held if all guests and staff are vaccinated
  • Home gatherings are capped at 30 people
  • Face masks are still required in all public places
  • As of December 29, 2021, guests are not permitted to consume food or drinks from a venue’s bar. They must be sat at a table.

Image: Getty