COVID-19 Infection Cases In UAE Rise During January, Abu Dhabi Implements 96 Hour Booster Dose And PCR Rules

Illustration of a COVID-19 vaccination. (Wikimedia Commons/WHO/Blink Media/Nana Kofi Acquah)

JAKARTA - The Abu Dhabi Authority has implemented regulations regarding booster doses of the COVID-19 vaccine and PCR tests, in line with the spike in cases of COVID1-9 infection in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) during January.

The UAE recorded 2.902 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, as daily testing hit 500.000 for the first time. Two more people died after contracting the coronavirus, bringing the death toll to 2.200.

With another 1.285 people beating the virus as total recoveries rose to 763.664 and the number of active cases topped 48.067, the UAE has reported 813.931 COVID-19 infections since confirming its first case in January 2020.

The latest daily infections were detected as a result of a record 518.300 PCR tests. More than 119 million tests have been carried out to date as part of an intensive screening strategy aimed at limiting the spread of the virus.

Starting December 26, Abu Dhabi government employees are directed to carry out weekly PCR tests to screen for COVID-19. Federal government employees and quasi-governmental departments have been offered free PCR tests in the capital. Other private businesses have also asked employees to be tested before returning to work. Teachers and schoolchildren returning to the UAE have since been asked to test negative in some schools.

The UAE's coronavirus infection rate has remained above 2.500 daily this year, after dropping below 50 in early December. Authorities have asked the public to continue to comply with COVID-19 safety measures and receive a COVID-19 vaccine shot if eligible.

Illustration. (Wikimedia Commons/dronepicr)

The Abu Dhabi Media Office urged the public to remain vigilant following a spike in the number of cases triggered by the emergence of the Omicron variant.

"The number of positive cases of COVID-19 has increased during January, after months of low infection rates. We urge the public to act responsibly and protect public health by following preventive measures," the Media Office wrote on Twitter, cited from National News January 20.

More than 23 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered to date, with about 93 percent of the population now fully vaccinated.

In addition, in the midst of a spike in COVID-19 infection cases, Abu Dhabi has also imposed a COVID-19 booster injection or 96-hour PCR rule to be able to enter the emirate, monitoring the status of Al Hosn's application.

Those without a booster are required to exit and have a PCR test outside Dubai, to gain Green Status in Al Hosn and enter the capital.

The rules, which came into effect at the start of the week, apply to those who have only two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine such as Pfizer-BioNTech. Unvaccinated people can enter the capital, but require a negative PCR test, which will turn Al Hosn green for just three days. To enter Abu Dhabi, must have a Green Pass or a negative PCR test result that is valid for less than 96 hours.

"To obtain a Green Pass, individuals must be fully vaccinated, including a booster dose after six months have passed since your second dose, and have a negative PCR test every 14 days. Please note, a Green Pass is required to enter public places in Abu Dhabi," reads the statement in the Al Hosn app.

To note, currently, no one in the UAE is allowed to have more than four injections of the COVID-19 vaccine.