3-month exemption from Covid-19 testing for vaccine volunteers to enter Abu Dhabi

UAE - Volunteers of the Phase III clinical trials for Covid-19 vaccine need not worry about taking a test to enter Abu Dhabi for three months, a senior health official has said.

Any person is tested for Covid-19 prior to becoming a volunteer and taking the first shot of the vaccine. The swab test is again done after 21 days, when the volunteer gets the second dose of vaccine. The Covid-19 test is repeated after 14 days of the second dose (Day 35). The volunteer can just show the 'Vaccination Volunteer' tag in the Al Hosn app and enter Abu Dhabi any time of the day.

"Yes, if they are negative, they can enter (Abu Dhabi) for three months. They can show the app but they should be negative," said Dr Nawal Ahmed Al Kaabi, UAE Principal Investigator of the Phase III clinical trials.

"If a volunteer is tested positive, he or she will not be able to enter (Abu Dhabi). Any volunteer with flu-like symptoms can come to us and we will test them for Covid-19," said Dr Nawal Ahmed Al Kaabi, who is also the chief medical officer at Sheikh Khalifa Medical City and the chairperson of the National Covid-19 Clinical Management Committee.

Health authorities follow up on each volunteer through teleconsultations to ensure the person's well-being and also that they are Covid-19 negative.

"All volunteers receive calls 24 hours, three days and a week after receiving the vaccine. We ask them for any sign or symptoms. We ask all questions. If we find anyone has any moderate symptoms, we direct them to go to the emergency room for proper evaluation."

In the three-month period, a volunteer needn't take any additional PCR test unless they develop any respiratory symptoms.

"If someone develops a sore throat, cough or fever, our advice for them is to take Covid-19 test. It is important for us to monitor the volunteer for any possible Covid-19 infections."

She added: "I want to reassure people that this is an inactivated vaccine. So, it cannot cause Covid-19. If they get infected from anywhere, then we need to evaluate and test them. But vaccines cannot cause Covid-19."

Meanwhile, a volunteer said that he is enjoying the benefits of travelling between emirates through Al Hosn 'gate pass'. "I don't travel everyday but twice or thrice a week. I just need to show the Al Hosn app with a volunteer tag and that I am negative. This is like a gate pass," the volunteer added.

People who are interested in volunteering can still register through the portal www.4humanity.ae.