New border entry rules for Abu Dhabi announced

Everyone travelling to the emirate, including those vaccinated, must present a negative PCR test result received within 48 hours or a DPI within 24 hours

Abu Dhabi residents are inoculated at the screening and vaccine centre on the Corniche. A nationwide testing and inoculation campaign is credited with driving down cases. All photos: Victor Besa / The National

Staff and nurses from the Abu Dhabi public hospital group Seha urged the public to protect themselves from Covid-19 by signing up to be vaccinated.

Motorists queue for PCR tests at Seha's testing and vaccination centre on Abu Dhabi's Corniche.

Mass testing and a successful vaccination campaign has helped the UAE to tackle the pandemic.

Drivers wait at a centre that provides both PCR nasal swab tests and coronavirus vaccine doses.

Shenaz Abdul Salam, 13, gives a thumbs up as he waits to receive his first vaccine dose.

A staff nurse fills in a vaccination form for a driver at the Corniche centre.

Mariam Al Badi, an Emirati nurse working at Seha's drive-through vaccine centre, has urged everyone to get inoculated against Covid-19.

Ms Al Badi goes through the vaccination process with a driver.

Cars queue at the drive-through testing and vaccination centre on Abu Dhabi's Corniche.

More than 80 per cent of the UAE population has been vaccinated and the government is urging those who have not to sign up.

An Abu Dhabi resident gives the thumbs up after signing up for vaccination.

Authorities have made the vaccines free for everyone.

A medical worker checks papers as Abu Dhabi residents sign up for the Covid-19 vaccine.

The drive-through Covid-19 testing and inoculation centre has proved popular with Abu Dhabi residents.

Abu Dhabi set out new entry rules to come into effect from Monday.

Under the new directives, every person travelling to the emirate must present a negative PCR test result received within 48 hours or a negative result from a DPI test no more than 24 hours earlier.

The regulations were part of new measures announced by Abu Dhabi's Emergency, Crisis and Disasters Committee late on Thursday evening.

The new testing rules will apply to vaccinated and unvaccinated members of the public.

Presently, those who received their second dose of a Covid-19 vaccine more than 28 days ago would be given E status on the Al Hosn app.

E status would allow entry to the capital from other emirates. E status could be maintained by taking a PCR test every seven days.

Separately, Abu Dhabi will reintroduce its overnight sterilisation programme from July 17, asking all to stay at home from midnight until 5am unless securing a police permit. There were also new capacity limits for public places announced.

New entry rules for Abu Dhabi

>The committee approved allowing entry to the emirate within 48 hours of receiving a negative PCR test result and within 24 hours of receiving a negative DPI result.

>Those entering via PCR must take a PCR test on day four of entry for those staying four days or more, and take an additional PCR test 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.

>A DPI test cannot be used to enter Abu Dhabi consecutive times. The procedures apply to all vaccinated and non-vaccinated citizens and residents.