The UAE government has gone to great lengths to deliver the message of social distancing and now they have taken it to the skies. People in Abu Dhabi looking out their windows on Tuesday may be able to spot a helicopter swooping in with an important message hanging from it: stay at home. The helicopter is believed to have taken to the skies at about 11am and was spotted across the emirate. The UAE has introduced a series of measures restricting movement across the country to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. While most emirates have introduced an 8pm-to-6am stay-at-home order while a disinfection drive is carried out, Dubai has gone a step further and limited movement 24 hours a day. Any Dubai residents who need to leave home for essentials, including trips to the supermarket, pharmacy or hospital, must first <a href="https://dxbpermit.gov.ae/home">apply for a permit</a>. The measures are in place to slow down the spread of infection, so that health systems do not become overwhelmed. There is still uncertainty around the new virus but one thing experts do know is that it is highly contagious. While a lot of people may end up being infected (some governments have said as many as 80 per cent of the population could catch coronavirus in a worst-case scenario) interventions can slow down how quickly it spreads among the population. By staying at home, people can help "<a href="https://www.thenational.ae/uae/health/coronavirus-what-is-flattening-the-curve-and-how-will-it-save-us-1.991307">flatten the curve</a>" of infections and avoid overwhelming hospitals.
