Abu Dhabi private schools ease PCR test rules

Rules previously stated tests must be taken every 14 days

Pupils go back to school at The British School Al Khubairat in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National

Abu Dhabi private school pupils aged under 16 are now required to take a Covid-19 PCR test every 28 days, instead of the previous 14-day rule, parents have been informed.

Pupils over 16 must still test every 14 days to enter school or take a school bus, while those over-16 with a medical exemption from vaccination need to undergo weekly testing, a circular from schools to parents across the city said.

Over-16s must also present a green Al Hosn app status to enter school premises.

Thousands of Abu Dhabi pupils returned to classrooms on January 31 for the first time this year, as a phased return to in-person learning was completed.

This comes as cases continue to drop in the UAE and more rules are lifted, amid a cautious return to normality.

Cinemas, shopping malls and other entertainment spots and venues across the UAE have been allowed to return to full capacity.

Restrictions were first announced in early 2020, when the pandemic began. However, people must still wear a mask in indoor and outdoor public places.

Back to school coronavirus testing - in pictures