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’.