Abu Dhabi: Ever since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Abu Dhabi has emerged as a model for limiting the spread of the coronavirus. Its extensive mass screening programme is supported by a robust test and trace programme, which includes well-defined guidelines for residents, travellers and close contacts.
The Department of Health – Abu Dhabi’s public health wing, the Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre (ADPHC), has outlined these quarantine guidelines to ensure that residents are familiar with all precautionary protocols. They vary based on whether residents are vaccinated, and whether the country they have returned from in on the Green List or not.
What is home quarantine?
Quarantining at home means staying at home and avoiding contact with others if you have been exposed to an infectious disease, in this case, COVID-19. Quarantine helps slow the spread of infection across a population.
If you are eligible to enroll in Abu Dhabi’s home quarantine programme, you will be asked to stay home for a specified period. Home quarantine compliance will be verified via an electronic tracker watch, and any other application recommended by the concerned authorities, while your health will be monitored by the healthcare providers.
Each person eligible for quarantine must get an initial PCR test, as well as other follow-up tests based on their condition and vaccination status.
Who is eligible?
In Abu Dhabi, the following categories of people are eligible for home quarantine:
- travellers arriving in Abu Dhabi through any of its entry points (airports, seaports, land port).
- travellers arriving from other emirates’ entry points (airports, seaports and land ports)
- identified Close contacts with a positive COVID-19 case.
NOTE: All residents aged 18 to 69 years from the above groups are enrolled for home quarantine, and fitted with a tracker watch to ensure compliance. Those aged below 18 years and above 69 years old are exempt from the tracker watch requirement, with the assurance of the parent or guardian regarding home quarantine.
Quarantine durations, follow-up testing
'I am vaccinated'
— and have come into contact with a COVID-19 patient: 5-day quarantine. Follow-up COVID-19 test on Day 4, tracker watch removal on Day 5 if follow-up test result is negative.
— and have returned from a country on the Green List: No quarantine required, and no tracker watch assigned. Follow-up COVID-19 test on Day 6.
— and have returned from a country not on the Green List: 5-day quarantine. Follow-up COVID-19 test on Day 4, tracker watch removal on Day 5 if follow-up test result is negative.
'I am not vaccinated'
— and have come into contact with a COVID-19 patient: 10-day quarantine. Follow-up COVID-19 test on Day 8, tracker watch removal on Day 10 if follow-up test result is negative.
— and have returned from a country on the Green List: No quarantine required, and no tracker watch assigned. Follow-up COVID-19 test on Day 6 and Day 12.
— and have returned from a country not on the Green List: 10-day quarantine. Follow-up COVID-19 test on Day 8, tracker watch removal on Day 10 if follow-up test result is negative.
Testing in home quarantine:
— Follow-up COVID-19 PCR tests are free.
— Enrolled resident can go directly to designated centres on specified days without appointment, and without first asking for a movement permit.
COVID-19 symptoms to report:
— headache
— shortness of breath
— fever
— cough
— sore throat
What should I do if I am enrolled in the Home Quarantine programme?
Authorities will consider a number of factors about your accommodation before approving home quarantine. These include:
- access to educational materials on home quarantine
- access to basic services like water, electricity, garbage disposal, air conditioning, ventilation and entertainment
- medicines for the treatment of chronic diseases
- access to basic supplies like food, clothing, laundry services and hygiene supplies
- access to communication devices and networks for monitoring by health workers, reporting symptoms, and accessing services and family support
- ability to Reach health care workers or ambulance personnel
- availability of tools for medical examination and evaluation, such as a thermometer
Providing phone numbers to report symptoms or access services and emergency numbers that can be provided by Health authorities if necessary
Once you have been approved for home quarantine, adhere to the following guidelines:
-Go home immediately using your own private car. Avoid the use of public transportation, including buses, taxis and trains if possible.
- Show up according to the designated follow-up testing schedule.
- Stay at home, except in case of an emergency such as a fire accident, or unless you develop symptoms of illness. If you get suddenly ill, you can proceed to the nearest hospital emergency unit.
- Do not take off the waterproof tracker watch. Also do not try to manipulate it, as you could be legally charged for any damage to the device.
- Keep the tracker watch charged at all times with 80 per cent or more power.
- Maintain hand hygiene and personal hygiene.
- Monitor yourself for symptoms. Check your temperature and record any changes.
- Get at least 10 days’ supply of non-perishable food from the store, such as powdered milk, canned fruits and frozen vegetables. Ideally, you should order online and have the items delivered to your door. Another family can also purchase them for you.
- Ensure you have enough prescription drugs for at least 10 days, and adequate quantities of disposable tissues, napkins and gloves.
- Stay connected with your family and friends through phone, social media platforms for support.
- Agree with your friends and family to leave any necessities at your door step.
- Dispose your trash in thick sealed bags for proper disposal. Keep the bag outside your door for collection by a family member or a friend, and recommend he/she wear gloves and masks and disposes of the waste in sealed garbage containers.
- If you live with others who did not come in contact with any positive cases, ensure you are able to quarantine in a separate room with a separate toilet.
- If you are sharing any facilities in the house, use a mask (discard appropriately), maintain physical distance of two meter and preferably ensure proper disinfection and thorough cleaning after each use.
-Do not share utensils and personal hygiene items with anyone else in the house. Use disposable items whenever possible.
- Your clothes, bed sheets, bath towels can be cleaned with regular laundry soap, water or washing machine at a temperature of 60-90 degrees Celsius with common household cleaners, and dried well. If a family member is doing this, he/she must wear gloves and mask handling the clothes before cleaning, and discard them appropriately.
How to keep well during home quarantine
- Maintain a healthy lifestyle, including healthy nutrition, hydration, physical activity and rest.
- Take supplements to boost your immunity, including Vitamin D, Vitamin C and zinc as advised.
- Set a daily routine to get through the day and achieve some errands.
Countering boredom
It is important to counter boredom during home quarantine, otherwise it can cause stress and conflict. The ADPHC recommends the following steps:
- Arrange with your employer to work from home, if possible.
- Do not rely too heavily on the television and technology.
- Treat quarantine as an opportunity to do some of those things you never usually have time for.
- Ask your child’s school to supply assignments, work sheets and homework by post or email if your child is also in quarantine.
Where to go for testing, tracker-watch removal
Abu Dhabi city:
Follow-up testing for those in home quarantine after coming into contact with a COVID-19 patient: Yellow Hall, COVID-19 Prime Assessment Centre at Mina Zayed’s Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal. 8am to 6:30pm every day of the week.
Follow-up testing for those in home quarantine after arriving from countries on the Green List: Seha Drive-through Screening Centres at Zayed Sport City, Al Bahia, Al Madina, Al Shamkha, Al Wathba, Corniche. Saturday to Thursday, between 8am and 7:30pm. Zayed Sport City and Al Shamkha Centre also open on Friday, between 10am and 7:30pm. Other Seha screening centres also offer follow-up testing, but tests will cost Dh85 per person, and individual must first apply for movement permit.
Tracker watch removal: Purple Hall, COVID-19 Prime Assessment Centre at Mina Zayed’s Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal. 8am to 6:30pm every day of the week.
In case of COVID-19 symptoms or a positive test result: Outpatient Clinic at Al Mafraq Hospital. . 8am to 6:30pm every day of the week.
Al Ain:
Follow-up testing for those in home quarantine after coming into contact with a COVID-19 patient: COVID-19 Prime Assessment Centre at Al Ain Convention Centre, Al Khabaisi. 8am to 6:30pm every day of the week.
Follow-up testing for those in home quarantine after arriving from countries on the Green List: Seha Drive-through Screening Centres at Asharej, Al Amsoudi and Al Hili. Saturday to Thursday, between 8am and 7:30pm. Asharej facility also open on Friday, between 12pm and 7:30pm.
Tracker watch removal: COVID-19 Prime Assessment Centre at Al Ain Convention Centre, Al Khabaisi. 8am to 6:30pm every day of the week.
In case of COVID-19 symptoms or a positive test result: COVID-19 Prime Assessment Centre at Al Ain Convention Centre, Al Khabaisi. 8am to 6:30pm every day of the week.
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Al Dhafra:
Follow-up testing for those in home quarantine after coming into contact with a COVID-19 patient: Seha facilities in Madinat Zayed, Liwa, Al Sila, Ghayathi, Al Marfa, Dalma. 8am to 7pm every day of the week.
Follow-up testing for those in home quarantine after arriving from countries on the Green List: Seha Drive-through Screening Centres at Madinat Zayed, Ghayathi, Al Marfa. 8am to 7pm every day of the week. Screening centre at Al Sila, Liwa, Delma. Sunday to Thursday, from 8am to 7pm. Also Fever Clinic in Madinat Zayed Industrial Area, 8am to 7:30pm every day of the week, and Flu-like Diseases Clinic throughout the week at any time.
Tracker watch removal: Seha facilities in Madinat Zayed, Liwa, Al Sila, Ghayathi, Al Marfa, Dalma. 8am to 7pm every day of the week.
In case of COVID-19 symptoms or a positive test result: Seha facilities in Madinat Zayed, Liwa, Al Sila, Ghayathi, Al Marfa, Dalma. 8am to 7pm every day of the week.
Contact health authorities:
— 02 4493333 for tracker-watch queries
— 8001717 for general queries
Abu Dhabi’s Green List is updated periodically by the Department of Culture and Tourism — Abu Dhabi.
