The UAE is working on several measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus since at least 27 cases were confirmed in the country. Here are a few important pointers for you to follow in the days to come.

  • The UAE Ministry of Health and community protection has urged citizens and other residents to avoid travelling abroad. Read more here.
  • Authorities are likely to order medical checks on returning travellers and ask them to stay in isolation at home, pending the outcome.
  • Flights from the UAE to Iran, Bahrain and most of mainland China have been suspended due to the outbreak.
  • Ministry of Education has informed that Schools and universities across the UAE will shut for a month from Sunday as part of efforts to contain the spread of coronavirus. Read more here.             
  • Private schools are asked to set up their own distance-learning programmes or expand existing e-learning tools such as Google Classroom, ClassDojo and Seesaw.
  • Government schools will run a home-teaching programme called Learn from Afar from March 22 to April 5.
  • Ministry of education has informed that a ‘sterilisation programme’ for all educational facilities will be carried out in all schools, buses and universities.
  • General Authority of Islamic Affairs and Endowments (Awqaf) has said that Mosques and Quran centres will be sterilised as part of efforts to safeguard public health.
  • UAE churches, temple, gurudwara have taken measures to contain the virus. Churches have suspended Sunday schools for children. Receiving the holy communion on the tongue and the traditional custom of offering peace by shaking hands have been temporarily stopped.
  • The Sindhi Guru Darbar Temple (Siva temple) in Bur Dubai and the community centre Sindhi Ceremonial Centre have prohibited mass gatherings and sit-down prayers and congregations.
  • Emirates airline has asked staff to take one-month unpaid leave as the virus has lead to flight cancellations worldwide. Abu Dhabi's Etihad Airways has asked cabin crew to take paid leave next month. Read more here.
  • Reduced travel and booking cancellations are taking a toll on the hospitality industry. Many properties in Dubai and AbuDhabi have told employees to utilise all outstanding leave-in-lieu days and proceed on unpaid leave.
  • Concerts, trade and sporting events are cancelled in the UAE in response to the spreading coronavirus. Read more here.                                                                             

Keep checking Zawya for all updates and stories on the impact of the coronavirus and the Gulf countries' ongoing efforts to contain it. 

(Writing by Seban Scaria; Editing by Daniel Luiz)

(seban.scaria@refinitiv.com)

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