Abu Dhabi green pass: Residents relieved 'everyone around is Covid-negative'

Abu Dhabi - While most were prepared for the new protocol, some were seen quickly downloading the app outside malls and restaurants.

For Abu Dhabi residents, the Al Hosn green pass on Tuesday became a ‘ticket back to the good ol’ days’. Shopping at malls and running errands ‘felt normal again’, they said, as they were able to move around with ease, knowing that everyone around them was Covid-negative.

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While a majority of people were prepared for the first day of the new protocol, some were seen quickly downloading the app outside malls and restaurants. But almost all had taken at least a dose of the vaccine or had a RT-PCR test with a negative result and were eligible for entry into public places. And as they stepped inside, they felt 'relief and a sense of normalcy'.

Calderon, a resident, gladly flashed her green pass while entering a restaurant to order food to celebrate the birth of a friend’s baby.

“I’ve been fully vaccinated since February, and I have taken a weekly PCR test ever since. I always have the ‘E’ icon. I will never let it go. Earlier, some people would often ask ‘why do you need a vaccine or a PCR test?’ But as weeks passed by, we all realised the importance. Now, with this green pass, you can see the big picture of a better and brighter future that Abu Dhabi and the UAE envision. The pass makes you feel safe and secure and gives you access to everywhere.”

Regina Sela, a resident for nine years, said ‘the joy of spending quality time with family outdoors has returned’.

“With this green card, we know that most public places have people who are Covid-negative. My family members have done PCR tests and also vaccinated, so we can now go out together and enjoy life like the good old days in a safe environment,” Sela said.

Joan Crispen, a mother and homemaker, is happy that she can now walk freely in public places without any fear of infection.

“I feel the green pass is a good step to ensure that everyone is safe to enter public places. This will also encourage everyone to get vaccinated to have a longer green pass validity. Also, everybody is doing their bit by wearing masks and following social distancing. I feel very lucky to be here in Abu Dhabi,” she said from a bakery at Al Wahda Mall.

Mary Rose said that thanks to the protocol, she started to enjoy shopping as she used to in the pre-pandemic days. “We now know that the public places like malls, shops and restaurants are safer than before. So, we can enjoy our time like we used to, say, in 2019.”

Both residents and tourists will have to present the green pass to enter places like malls, large supermarkets, hotels, gyms, public parks and beaches, swimming pools, entertainment centres, cinemas, museums, restaurants and cafes.

The green pass is activated after a resident or tourist gets a negative Covid PCR test result. Its validity, however, depends on one’s vaccination status. For instance, the validity of the green pass is 30 days for fully vaccinated residents; and three for those who have not received any jab.

ashwani@khaleejtimes.com

• Abu Dhabi