UAE: Which employees need to take PCR tests every two weeks? Find out

Dubai: The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) recently announced that some unvaccinated workers across the UAE would need to take a mandatory PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) test every 14 days. Over the past few weeks, UAE’s authorities have announced the requirement for mandatory testing for certain categories of workers in the country.

Here is a round-up of all the announcements that have been made so far.

Workers across the UAE in five sectors

On March 22, MOHRE announced that unvaccinated workers in five economic activities need to take a PCR test every 14 days, effective from March 28. The economic activities include:

1. Hotels

2. Restaurants

3. Transportation

4. Health

5. Social and personal activities, including laundries, beauty salons, hairdressers

Abu Dhabi private sector

On March 22, it was announced that Abu Dhabi Emergency, Crisis and Disasters Committee for the Covid-19 Pandemic has approved compulsory free PCR testing every two weeks for all private sector employees working in vital sectors and service industries.

Abu Dhabi government sector

All Abu Dhabi government employees who are fully vaccinated must pay to take a monthly PCR test, according to an announcement made by the Abu Dhabi Human Resources Authority.

The test must be performed every 28 days after they receive their second dose of the vaccine.

Only those who have the letter E displayed in their Al Hosn app, which can be obtained by performing weekly PCR tests, are exempt from the test.

Government employees who are not fully vaccinated must pay to take a PCR test every seven days.

Sharjah private sector

On February 24, Sharjah Municipality announced that workers at Sharjah’s food outlets are obligated to take the PCR test every two weeks, except for those vaccinated within the National Vaccination Programme and volunteers in clinical trials of Covid-19 vaccines, and whoever has a star or letter E on the Al Hosn App.

Ajman

Workers in restaurants, cafes, supermarkets, gyms, men’s and women’s salons, labour recruitment offices, food and meal delivery companies and car wash services need to get weekly PCR tests done. On March 2, the Ajman Crisis, Disaster and Emergency Management Team mandated establishments to conduct the weekly tests for these employees, except those who have received two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, with a commitment to download the Al-Hosn application