• Carrefour shoppers at the parking lot with their groceries at the Yas Mall. Victor Besa / The National
    Carrefour shoppers at the parking lot with their groceries at the Yas Mall. Victor Besa / The National
  • People wearing protective face mask after doing shopping at the Carrefour supermarket in Ibn Battuta mall in Dubai. UAE government told residents to wear facemask and gloves all the times outside the home. Pawan Singh / The National
    People wearing protective face mask after doing shopping at the Carrefour supermarket in Ibn Battuta mall in Dubai. UAE government told residents to wear facemask and gloves all the times outside the home. Pawan Singh / The National
  • A grocery shopper with a face mask on at Souk Planet, Khalifa City. Face masks should be worn at all times when outside the home, the UAE government said on Saturday. Victor Besa / The National
    A grocery shopper with a face mask on at Souk Planet, Khalifa City. Face masks should be worn at all times when outside the home, the UAE government said on Saturday. Victor Besa / The National
  • People wearing protective face mask after doing shopping at the Carrefour in Discovery Pavilion in Discovery Gardens area in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National
    People wearing protective face mask after doing shopping at the Carrefour in Discovery Pavilion in Discovery Gardens area in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National
  • A delivery driver stacks water to provide to residents in an extremely quiet Jumeirah Beach Residence in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    A delivery driver stacks water to provide to residents in an extremely quiet Jumeirah Beach Residence in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • One of the shopper with protective face mask after doing shopping at the Carrefour supermarket in Ibn Battuta mall in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National
    One of the shopper with protective face mask after doing shopping at the Carrefour supermarket in Ibn Battuta mall in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National
  • Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, April 5, 2020. Grocery shoppers with face mask s on at Souk Planet, Khalifa City. Face masks should be worn at all times when outside the home, the UAE government said on Saturday. Victor Besa / The National
    Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, April 5, 2020. Grocery shoppers with face mask s on at Souk Planet, Khalifa City. Face masks should be worn at all times when outside the home, the UAE government said on Saturday. Victor Besa / The National
  • A construction worker crosses the street with a mask on at Khalifa City, Abu Dhabi. Face masks should be worn at all times when outside the home. Victor Besa / The National
    A construction worker crosses the street with a mask on at Khalifa City, Abu Dhabi. Face masks should be worn at all times when outside the home. Victor Besa / The National
  • A lone Zomato delivery man crosses the Al Bandar overpass at Khalifa City. Victor Besa / The National
    A lone Zomato delivery man crosses the Al Bandar overpass at Khalifa City. Victor Besa / The National
  • The Warner Brothers theme park on Yas Island was temporarily closed during the pandemic. Victor Besa / The National
    The Warner Brothers theme park on Yas Island was temporarily closed during the pandemic. Victor Besa / The National
  • Barriers in place at Sunset Beach near Jumeirah Beach Hotel, during the height of the pandemic. Antonie Robertson / The National
    Barriers in place at Sunset Beach near Jumeirah Beach Hotel, during the height of the pandemic. Antonie Robertson / The National
  • A cleaner drives a street sweeper in Jumeirah, Dubai. Antonie Robertson / The National
    A cleaner drives a street sweeper in Jumeirah, Dubai. Antonie Robertson / The National
  • Pharmacies across the country have seen a spike in sales of face masks. Antonie Robertson / The National
    Pharmacies across the country have seen a spike in sales of face masks. Antonie Robertson / The National
  • A man prays alone in a car park in Sharjah when mosques, churches and temples were temporarily closed. Antonie Robertson / The National
    A man prays alone in a car park in Sharjah when mosques, churches and temples were temporarily closed. Antonie Robertson / The National
  • Lines of taxis sit outside Global Village in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    Lines of taxis sit outside Global Village in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • A healthcare worker on her way to work on a gloomy Monday morning at the Al Mushrif area of Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National
    A healthcare worker on her way to work on a gloomy Monday morning at the Al Mushrif area of Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National
  • During the height of the pandemic the RTA closed entrances leading to Al Ras area of Dubai from three main roads and interchanges: Al Musalla, Al Khaleej, and Baniyas Streets. Reem Mohammed / The National
    During the height of the pandemic the RTA closed entrances leading to Al Ras area of Dubai from three main roads and interchanges: Al Musalla, Al Khaleej, and Baniyas Streets. Reem Mohammed / The National
  • An empty Sunset Beach located between the Jumeirah Beach Hotel and Kite Beach in Dubai. Antonie Robertson / The National
    An empty Sunset Beach located between the Jumeirah Beach Hotel and Kite Beach in Dubai. Antonie Robertson / The National
  • A man walks, while wearing a mask, to get to work in Dubai during the stay home policy in the UAE. Antonie Robertson / The National .
    A man walks, while wearing a mask, to get to work in Dubai during the stay home policy in the UAE. Antonie Robertson / The National .
  • A man cleans the Barsha Heights welcome sign at the entrance to the neighbourhood in Dubai. Antonie Robertson / The National
    A man cleans the Barsha Heights welcome sign at the entrance to the neighbourhood in Dubai. Antonie Robertson / The National
  • Dubai’s Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management announced increased restrictions on movement in Al Ras area of Dubai for two weeks to facilitate intensified sterilisation procedures in 2020. Reem Mohammed / The National
    Dubai’s Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management announced increased restrictions on movement in Al Ras area of Dubai for two weeks to facilitate intensified sterilisation procedures in 2020. Reem Mohammed / The National
  • A sign at Global Village thanking Dubai's heroes. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    A sign at Global Village thanking Dubai's heroes. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • A man waits on the street with a face mask on outside a restaurant in Barsha Heights in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    A man waits on the street with a face mask on outside a restaurant in Barsha Heights in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Coronavirus: UAE travel restrictions and disinfection programme to continue


Nick Webster
  • English
  • Arabic

Overnight nationwide travel restrictions are to be extended as the disinfection of public areas across the country continues.

The National Disinfection Programme will include new facilities in all seven emirates, the Ministry of Health and Prevention and the Ministry of Interior said.

Movement has been restricted across the country from 8pm until 6am since Thursday, March 26 as disinfection teams take precautionary measures to contain Covid-19. The operation has involved thousands of workers, supervisors and administrators from federal and local governments.

A statement carried by state news agency Wam, urged the public to continue to stay home from 8pm until 6am each day. During daytime, residents can shop for essential food supplies and medicine, or perform essential jobs in vital sectors, but should not leave home for any other reason.

Special job categories include the energy sector, as well as those working in communication, health, education, security, the police and military.

Relevant categories will be verified by the authorities through business cards or ID cards.

Officials said the spray used to disinfect UAE streets is harmless, and poses no threat to the public, animals or the environment.

It contains a diluted hydrogen peroxide, a mild-disinfectant often used to treat minor cuts and burns or as a mouth rinse.

The first disinfectant campaign completed by specialist fumigation vehicles and teams of sprayers was due to end on April 4, but that has now been extended further.

Residents in Dubai must obtain a permit if they wish to leave home during the overnight travel restrictions.

Applications for clearance to complete urgent work or buy supplies can be made via Dubai’s Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management website.

Al Ras, one of Dubai's oldest districts, in Deira, was placed in a two-week quarantine on March 31 to contain the spread of coronavirus.