As the number of coronavirus cases in the UAE has gone up by 10 percent in August, Abu Dhabi has again tightened its rules for entry into the Emirate. The UAE capital introduced a new system for entry of drivers and passengers in June, allowing them to cross the border only if they produced a negative COVID-19 (PCR) test result, which costs around AED 370. However, authorities later allowed visitors to pass the Dubai-Abu Dhabi border with negative results of DPI laser test, which costs only AED 50 and takes around 10-15 minutes.
With recent developments, the rules have been changed once again to prevent a second wave of coronavirus. From Thursday, 27th August onwards, commuters need to show a negative PCR result, taken within the previous 48 hours. Alternatively, they can show a negative laser test result, taken within the last 48 hours, along with a PCR test result, which is not older than six days. They are not allowed to take the same test twice in a row within a period of six days.
The authorities are also discouraging people from crossing the Dubai-Abu Dhabi border on a daily basis. Those who need to commute daily for work should ideally take the PCR test on Friday in order to receive the results by Saturday or Sunday. They can then take the DPI test on Tuesday to reconfirm that they are virus free.
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More than 68,000 people have been infected by coronavirus in the UAE, with more than 8,500 active cases and more than 59,000 recoveries. The death toll currently stands at 378. In a recent media briefing by the UAE government, the official spokesperson, Dr Omar Al Hammadi highlighted how healthcare institutions in the country had been able to control the death rate to stay at 0.5 percent of the total cases.
