Unvaccinated UAE government workers to undergo weekly Covid-19 tests

Employees must pay for PCR tests themselves unless they present a medical report exempting them from being vaccinated

Dr Nawal Al Kaabi, chair of the National Covid-19 Clinical Management Committee and Dr Walid Zaher, vaccine project leader at G42 Healthcare, pictured in Abu Dhabi. Their teams will lead a plan to produce the Sinopharm vaccine in the UAE this year. Victor Besa / The National

Dr Al Kaabi, pictured with Ashish Koshy, chief executive of Sinopharm vaccine trial partner G42 Healthcare, said the country aims to inoculate 70 per cent of the population to achieve herd immunity. Victor Besa / The National

Al Ain resident Aysha Mohammed Ahmad Ali holds a thumbs up after receiving her first shot of the Sinopharm vaccine at Burjeel hospital in Abu Dhabi in December. Victor Besa / The National

A medic at Burjeel Hospital in downtown Abu Dhabi holds a dose of the vaccine developed by Chinese drug maker Sinopharm. Victor Besa / The National

A nurse carries out a consultation with Abu Dhabi resident Saqib Ali before he receives the free shot. Victor Besa / The National

Al Ain resident Aysha Mohammed Ahmad Ali travelled to Abu Dhabi City from Al Ain to get vaccinated. Victor Besa / The National

A medic at Burjeel Hospital in downtown Abu Dhabi holds a dose of the vaccine developed by Chinese drug maker Sinopharm. Victor Besa / The National

Medical staff at Burjeel Hospital pictured on the first day of vaccine shots. Victor Besa / The National

Dr Haifaa Fadl Nourin is pictured at the hospital's Covid-19 vaccination clinic, which was set up in Burjeel's cancer wing. Victor Besa / The National

Bunyanuch Janta, from Thailand, waits for her turn to get vaccinated on Sunday. Victor Besa / The National

Emiratis Jaber Humaid, left and Omran Al Khoori pictured after receiving the first of two shots. Victor Besa / The National

Dr Ayman Mohamed Abdelhady gets vaccinated at Burjeel Hospital on Sunday. Victor Besa / The National

UAE government employees who have not been vaccinated against Covid-19 must undergo a PCR test every week.

On Monday, the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources updated rules announced this month that required unvaccinated federal government workers to be tested every two weeks.

The rule, which requires the employees to pay for their own tests, is part of government efforts to limit the spread of the virus, preserve the health of employees and keep workplaces safe.

Employees who have received both doses of the vaccine are exempt.

Previously, the authority said the seven-day testing rule also applied to employees of outsourced and public services companies who were employed on a full-time basis.

Employees from advisory and expert services companies that deal with government bodies on a one-off basis will need to present a negative PCR test result that is no more than three days old, state news agency Wam reported.

Unvaccinated government workers will be expected to pay for tests themselves unless they present a medical report exempting them from taking the vaccine owing to an illness or health condition.

In those cases, the employer must bear the cost of testing, the authority said.

The vaccine is available for free at government health centres across the country, as well as at many private hospitals.

Federal ministries are to encourage their employees to be inoculated, especially older staff or those with chronic diseases.