20,000 mall and shop employees tested for coronavirus in Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA) has completed around 20,000 tests for mall and shop employees across the emirate while increasing awareness about the virus among staff.

This was done in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED), who issued a circular to reopen shopping malls in adherence to strict guidelines for the health and safety of employees, under the instruction of the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority.

Mohammed Hawas Al Sadid, CEO, Ambulatory Healthcare Services, said: “Since the outbreak of COVID-19, we have been working closely with the UAE’s leadership and other government entities to minimize the spread of the virus and protect our community. As the Emirate of Abu Dhabi now prepares for its shopping malls to reopen, the safety and wellbeing of their employees and the community of Abu Dhabi remains our top priority. Our network, facilities and professionals are committed to ensure the re-opening of malls is in adherence to the guidelines and precautionary measures established by ADDED.”

The mall and shop employees visited seven of SEHA’s drive-through screening facilities across the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, located in Abu Dhabi city, Al Wathba, Al Bahia, Al Ain and Al Dhafra over the weekend to undergo the COVID-19 test and ensure they are healthy before returning to work. In addition to completing the COVID-19 test, employees were educated on the importance of social distancing, regular sanitization, the appropriate use of masks and gloves and temperature checks for themselves and their customers.

Dr. Noura Al Ghaithi, Chief Operations Officer, Ambulatory Healthcare Services, said: “In line with the direction of our leaders to reopen shopping malls as we embark on the Holy Month of Ramadan, our medical and administrative teams worked around the clock over the weekend to ensure all mall and shop employees are not infected with the virus and understand how to best manage their stores and malls to keep themselves and shoppers protected.”

Other initiatives introduced by SEHA in the response to the COVID-19 outbreak include the establishment of three field hospitals in preparedness for a potential influx of confirmed cases, the designation and preparation of certain hospitals as facilities to exclusively treat and quarantine coronavirus patients, the roll-out of 14 drive-through testing facilities across the nation and the testing of the thousands of workers in their residents across Abu Dhabi.