Coronavirus: UAE planning for 'final recovery' from Covid-19 as public urged to support national push

Dr Saif Al Dhaheri, spokesman for the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority, said the country was well set to overcome the pandemic

People walk around in the Al Karama area of Dubai as life in the UAE beings to resemble pre-pandemic times. All photos: Pawan Singh / The National

The country has got to grips with curbing the spread of Covid-19.

The UAE registered its lowest daily tally of new Covid-19 infections in 20 months.

More than 100 million coronavirus tests have been conducted in the UAE to date.

People wearing masks are out shopping in the Al Karama area of Dubai.

The UAE's extensive vaccination campaign has been widely credited with helping to drive down case numbers.

New daily cases have remained below 100 for five weeks.

Authorities confirmed last week that 100 per cent of the eligible population had now received at least one Covid-19 vaccine dose.

More than 90 per cent of the UAE population are fully vaccinated.

A masked worker pushes a trolley laden with water bottles in the Al Karama area of Dubai.

Social distancing stickers pasted at a bus stop serve as a warning to travellers in Dubai.

People shopping in the Al Karama area of Dubai.

The UAE is planning for its "final recovery" from the coronavirus pandemic as the public was again urged to work with authorities to drive down infection rates.

Dr Saif Al Dhaheri, spokesman for the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority, said the country was well placed to overcome the outbreak thanks to its proactive approach to the crisis.

Speaking during the UAE's regular media briefing, he said key sectors such as health services, the economy, aviation, tourism and education were hard hit by the coronavirus this year.

But he said that the UAE's ability to adapt to the challenge - such as embracing technology to allow school pupils and employees to study and work from home - helped to offset its impact.

"Our proactive approach has allowed us to go back to gradual normality," said Dr Al Dhaheri.

"We are on the right track, we have taken the right steps. We must start planning for the final recovery.

"By recovery we mean we are able to fight the repercussions of Covid-19 and all disasters - to overcome these challenges and go back to normal life."

Dr Al Dhaheri said that although case numbers have been on the rise in recent months, the authorities were buoyed by an encouraging rate of recovery.

"The health sector is able to control the situation, which is reflected in the number of recoveries.

"The country is adopting the right steps to overcome this health crisis."

The senior official said the public would play a significant part in the Emirates staging a full recovery from the pandemic.

"The success of the recovery counts a lot on the community complying with precautionary measures.

"One of the main goals was to raise awareness at the community level to overcome the crisis with the at least damage possible."

During the briefing, it was announced that there had been 15 deaths related to Covid-19 between November 4 and 10, representing a 29 per cent decrease on the previous week.

The number of coronavirus tests conducted during the same period - 894,104 - rose by 11 per cent week-on-week.

On Tuesday, the UAE reported 1,096 more cases of coronavirus after carrying out a further 135,883 tests.

In the precedomh 24 hours, 742 people were cleared of the virus while three patients died of related complications.

Officials said this raised the country's tallies to 144,385 cases, 139,701 recoveries and 518 deaths since the outbreak began in the spring.