COVID-19: Job loss issue in Dubai addressed

“If people who lost their jobs found a new job then we will support them by changing their residency with the new sponsor, or keeping the residency they have already till the end of 2020,” said Maj Gen Mohammad Al Marri, director of General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) Dubai.

It was said during a remote press conference held by Maj Gen Mohammad Al Marri and Dr Amer Al Sharif, head of COVID-19 Command and Control Center, to discuss Dubai’s 24 hour procedures of the comprehensive sterlisation programme.

Changing residency

“We are working to facilitate changing the residency with new sponsors for resident inside Dubai or when a person change his job from another emirate to a company or institute inside Dubai.” Al Marri said.

People who wanted to return to their home countries

“We are working closely with concerned authority to facilitate the return of people who want to return to their countries. Dubai Health authority are conducting tests for people leaving the country at the airports,” Al Marri said.

Dr Al Sharif about labour camps

“There are intensive work in labour camps by having mobile teams and special clinics to make a field screening to identify the infected people and quarantine them. The screening is the major reason to prevent the spread of COVID-19. We are working now to expand the tests on people returning to the country or people who were in direct contact with infected people as well as people with chronic diseases,” Dr Al Sharif said.

Message to people who are afraid to go to hospitals

“People who have the symptoms should go to hospitals without fear. Hospitals has high standards to prevent the spread of the virus. Hospitals have special building and units for patients of COVID-19,” Dr Al Sharif said.

After the virus

“We had meetings with the Department of Tourism, airlines and tourist companies to set a plan to welcome the tourists to Dubai after the virus. Recently, we made special sticker for people who left the emirate saying ‘Till we meet again’. We will be ready to welcome our visitors once we pass through the crisis,” Al Marri said.