Abu Dhabi ends nightly stay home requirement from today

Abu Dhabi will end the nightly stay-home order from August 19, authorities said on Thursday.

The restrictions under the National Sterilisation Programme ran from midnight to 5 am and have been in place since July.

The Abu Dhabi Emergency, Crisis and Disasters Committee said the programme had achieved its objective.

The stay at home orders, that have been in place since July 19, the first day of the Eid holiday — in order to prevent the proliferation of new variants, will end today, Thursday, August 19, 2021.

Authorities thanked the public for its co-operation and advised everyone to continue to adhere to precautionary measures to protect public health and safety.

The emirate introduced the resumption of stay-home rules on July 19 to help curb the spread of Covid-19.

Members of the public could only leave their homes during this period to “get essential supplies, such as food and medicine”.

People had to apply to Abu Dhabi Police for a permit to leave their homes.

Covid-19 case numbers have declined in the weeks since the rules were introduced, with infections on some days declining to rates not seen since 2020.

Green Pass

As of August 20 — only people able to demonstrate that they have been vaccinated will be permitted entry to almost all public spaces, shops and eateries.

Those places include malls restaurants, cafes, and all other retail outlets, including those not within a shopping centre, gyms, recreational facilities and sporting activities, health clubs, resorts, museums, cultural centres and theme parks, universities, institutes, public and private schools and children nurseries in the emirate.

As of August 15 — individuals will be able to register certificates for the approved vaccines (that’s AstraZeneca (or Covishield), Moderna, Pfizer, Sputnik and Sinopharm) obtained overseas via the ICA Smart app or the smartservices.ica.gov.ae.

From September 20 onwards, you will need a third booster shot to obtain the Green Pass.

Entering Abu Dhabi by road

The checks on the road border between Dubai and Abu Dhabi are still in place.

As of July 19, 2021 entry to the emirate of Abu Dhabi by road will only be permitted to those that can show a negative PCR test obtained within 48 hours of attempted entry, displayed on the Alhosn app, or a negative DPI result obtained within 24 hours. As before DPI test cannot be used to enter Abu Dhabi consecutive times (if you did a DPI test last time, you need to do a PCR the next time).

Those entering with a PCR test must retake a PCR test on day four of entry for those staying four days or more. An additional PCR test must be taken on day eight for those staying eight days or more. Those entering via DPI must take a PCR test on day three of entry for those staying 48 hours or more, and take an additional PCR test on day seven for those staying seven days or more

If you have travelled back from a non-Green List country within the last 12 days, you’ll need to follow the procedures before. You may be asked to stay in Dubai until the quarantine period specified below (12 or seven depending on vaccination status) has passed, as tracking bracelets are not guaranteed on the road border.