Abu Dhabi airport to offer free PCR tests on arrival with results in 90 minutes

Etihad Wellness Ambassador prepares to welcome passengers on board an Etihad aircraft. Courtesy of Etihad Airways

Stickers on the floor encouraging passengers to remain 2 metres apart while queueing. Courtesy of Etihad Airways.

TV screen encouraging travellers to wear masks. Courtesy of Etihad Airways

Plastic barriers around the check in area protecting both staff and passengers. Courtesy of Etihad Airways

Signage encouraging social distancing on public seating in Abu Dhabi International Airport. Courtesy of Etihad Airways

Temperature scanning at a sanitisation booth. Courtesy of Etihad Airways.

A passenger receiving an Etihad Wellness kit. Courtesy of Etihad Airways

All arriving passengers at Abu Dhabi International Airport will be offered a free PCR test, with results available in 90 minutes.

The lab is located inside the airport and will test samples for quick results.

The new fast RT-PCR testing service has been launched with Pure Health labs and Tamouh Healthcare.

Passengers arriving through terminals 1 and 3 will be tested.

Results of the tests will be shared by SMS and WhatsApp and will be available on the Al Hosn mobile app.

Passengers who receive a negative result and are from the list of "green" countries specified by the government of Abu Dhabi will not have to self-isolate.

Those not from the green list will have to self-isolate for 10 days, and will require a quarantine wristband fitted at the PCR testing tent at the airport.

Participants in the National Vaccination Programme and Phase III clinical trials who have an identification mark – a letter E or a gold star – on Al Hosn app are exempt from self-quarantine procedures.

Passengers transiting through the airport will not be tested.

There will be more than 190 medics at the airport and the lab has the capacity to test more than 20,000 travellers and staff daily.

Originally published in December, the green list is updated regularly, with the most recent change taking place on Monday.

There are now 13 destinations included on Abu Dhabi's travel list. Inclusion is dependent upon the latest developments regarding a country’s Covid-19 protocols and guidelines.

These destinations are: Australia, Bhutan, Brunei, China, Greenland, Hong Kong, Iceland, Kazakhstan, Mauritius, Morocco, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia and Singapore.

All international travellers to Abu Dhabi must present a negative PCR test result and take a second PCR test upon entering the capital.

Not all countries on Abu Dhabi's green list are open for tourism. Travellers should check individual destination requirements.

As of March 4, here are the Covid-19 rules in Abu Dhabi:

• Diners are limited to four per table, even for family members living in the same home
• Malls are limited to 40 per cent capacity
• Restaurants, cafes, hotels and public beaches and parks cannot have more than 60 per cent of their typical number of visitors
• Gyms, private beaches and swimming pools cannot be more than half full
• Cinemas have been closed
• Public transport, such as taxis and buses, are limited to 45 per cent and 75 per cent capacity, respectively
• Up to 10 family members can gather together but they must wear face masks and remain at least two metres apart
• Parties and other social gatherings have been banned
• Entry to Abu Dhabi requires either a DPI or PCR test taken within a certain time of travel to the emirate from another part of the country
• A DPI test result is valid for 24 hours to enter Abu Dhabi but cannot be used to enter Abu Dhabi on two consecutive occasions. If the individual stays in Abu Dhabi for more than 48 hours will have to take PCR test on day three of entry, and a second PCR on day seven, if they remain in the emirate for a week or more. The day of entry to Abu Dhabi is considered day one
• A PCR test result must be received within 48 hours of entry into the capital. If the person stays in Abu Dhabi for four days or more, they must take another PCR test on day four and day eight

The countries on Abu Dhabi's 'green' list