New Year’s Day will be a public holiday for private-sector workers, the UAE government confirmed. The announcement was made in a notice issued by Nasser Al Hamli, Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation, on Tuesday. He said January 1, which is a Friday, will be an official paid holiday for those in the private sector. A number of public holidays have been allocated for 2021, culminating with the country’s Golden Jubilee National Day celebrations on December 2 and 3. People across the country will ring in the New Year with safety in mind this year. Authorities have set out several safety measures for one of the highlights of the social calendar. On Saturday, Dubai approved private family and social gatherings of up to 30 people on New Year’s Eve only. Party hosts who exceed the capped number of guests will face fines of Dh50,000, while guests will be fined Dh15,000 each. The guidelines were laid out after a meeting of Dubai’s Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management led by Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed. The ruling covers private events held at homes and in tents. Guests are required to wear face masks at all times unless eating or drinking. Elderly people and those with chronic conditions are advised not to attend these gatherings. Any person experiencing symptoms such as coughing or fever must refrain from attending. Gatherings must be in line with social distancing practices and comply with a rule of one person per four square metres of venue space. Officials will conduct inspections to ensure precautionary measures are being followed.
