Dubai: Starting from Sunday, unvaccinated residents will no longer be able to enter federal government departments without proof of a negative COVID-19 PCR test.
The test should be carried out within the last 48 hours, according to the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources (FAHR). The test results must be displayed through the Al Hosn app.
FAHR implemented the new entry rule on August 1, 2021, and also stressed that unvaccinated employees will be required to undergo weekly mandatory PCR testing.
Unvaccinated government employees must pay for tests themselves, unless they present a medical report exempting them from taking the vaccine due to an illness or an underlying health condition.
The UAE’s human resources authority clarified that only those who received two doses of the COVID-19 vaccination are allowed to visit ministries, federal departments and customer service centres.
In a circular issued by FAHR last month, people will be barred from entering ministries unless:
- Customers or visitors received two doses of approved COVID-19 vaccines.
- Unvaccinated customers present a negative result for a nasal swab examination (PCR) valid for a period not exceeding 48 hours from receiving the result.
- Unvaccinated persons who obtained an exception from the competent health authorities, provided they present a negative result for the PCR test, valid for a period not exceeding 48 hours from receiving the result.
- Those under the age of 16 are excluded from the provisions of the circular.
According to recent global statistics, UAE ranks first globally in COVID-19 vaccine doses given at 158.24 doses per 100 people, crossing 15.5 million doses. The UAE has also tested more people per capita than most nations and has one of the lowest fatality rates in the world.
By last July, the UAE was reported to have administered 15.5 million doses, enough to cover 72.1 per cent of its population based on a two-dose regimen, according to Bloomberg’s Vaccine Tracker. Bloomberg Vaccine Tracker is the most up-to-date and comprehensive tally of vaccinations around the globe.
Dr. Farida Al Hosani, official spokesperson of the UAE Health Sector and Director of the Communicable Diseases Department of the Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre (ADPHC), said the UAE witnessed a decrease in the number of COVID-19 infections, which highlights the health sector’s ability to control the spread of the virus thanks to implementing the best methodologies for early detection of cases, speed of response, and dealing with infected people and contacts professionally and according to the latest international methods.
