Eid Al Adha break: Residents say new Abu Dhabi Covid-19 rules will keep them safe

Abu Dhabi - The Abu Dhabi Emergency, Crisis and Disasters Committee has announced a raft of measures including a movement in restrictions.

The public has expressed optimism that the new Covid-19-related safety measures that will come into effect from Monday (July 19) -- the first day of the six-day Eid Al Adha holidays -- will help keep the raging contagion at bay.

The Abu Dhabi Emergency, Crisis and Disasters Committee has announced a raft of measures including a movement in restrictions, test and entry rules, reduced crowd capacity at malls, cinemas, and other public places to prevent the spread of the viral outbreak.

Tareq Mohammad, 51, a Pakistani national, welcomed the authorities’ efforts to roll out rules in time to ensure public health and safety.

“All these measures are intended at preventing the spread of Covid-19 and keeping us safe during the Eid Al Adha break,” he said.

“I’m ready to abide by the new rules. We should take these norms in a positive light because the authorities are working very hard to keep us safe,” he added.

The Pakistani expatriate urged the public to comply with Covid-19 guidelines in a bid to overcome the pandemic challenge and ensure that “we can return to our normal life at the earliest”.

Yousuf Hussein, an Emirati, said the authorities were at the top of their game during the pandemic and rules were being constantly reviewed by introducing several new precautionary measures.

“With these new safety measures, we feel more protected during the Eid Al Adha holidays,” he said.

“The authorities have reported a surge in the number of Covid-19 cases during the previous Eid Al Fitr holidays as this was because of large family gatherings,” he added.

Dickson Ayodeji Onabajo, 44, a Nigerian expatriate and a religious leader, hailed the relentless efforts of the authorities to ensure that the public could be protected from the viral outbreak.

“It’s essential that the public is kept safe. The new measures include restrictions and reduced crowd capacity in public places during the Eid Al Adha holidays that will help the authorities to monitor and mitigate the spread of the virus in urban areas and the Western region of the UAE's largest emirate,” he said.

“It’s the public’s responsibility to comply with the rules and guidelines for their own safety and to avoid fines,” he added.

Onabajo said he has shared Covid-19 safety measures and guidelines with the local communities and friends on social media platforms to promote awareness and ensure public health safety.

Earlier, medical experts had hailed Abu Dhabi’s new Covid-19 safety measures, which seek to deal with the growing threat of various variants of SARS-CoV-2, which causes Covid-19, such as Delta, and in a bid to prevent a surge in cases ahead of the Eid Al Adha break.

“This is indeed a strong initiative at the right time. In the past, a surge in infection rates was reported across the globe after public holidays and festivals because revellers had indulged in overcrowding,” said Dr Sreehari Karunakaran Pillai, medical administrator and specialist internal medicine, NMC Specialty Hospital, Abu Dhabi.

ismail@khaleejtimes.com

• Abu Dhabi