On September 28, the UAE officially canceled the mask regime introduced due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Masks will still be required only in medical facilities and hospitals, mosques, places of worship, and public transport.
The UAE announced on Monday, September 26, the relaxation of covid regulations, according to the country’s National Emergency and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA). The new rules will come into effect on Wednesday, September 28, 2022.
One of the main innovations is the abolition of the country’s mask regime. Airlines will now be able to independently decide whether passengers must wear masks on board.
Wearing a mask in schools will now also become optional. At the same time, those who suspect infection should still wear a mask. NCEMA recommends that all people with chronic medical conditions continue to wear masks. The rules of social distancing in mosques are also canceled.
The UAE will also waive any requirements for exiting the country, with those leaving the country has to comply with the rules of the destination country. For those arriving, the rules remain the same. Currently, entry to the UAE requires a negative PCR test.
In the emirate of Abu Dhabi, for vaccinated tourists, the test they are required to take upon arrival will be valid for one month, and unvaccinated tourists – 7 days. Previously, unvaccinated tourists had to take a test every 47 hours.
PCR tests in the Emirates themselves are now mandatory only when symptoms appear. Those who have been in contact with patients already infected with COVID-19 should undergo a PCR test and be observed for seven days. Those who have been infected with COVID-19 need to quarantine for five days.
The UAE will now also stop publishing data on daily infection cases.
While different emirates have different rules
Please note that travel restrictions may differ in different emirates. For example, a negative test (or vaccination) is required to visit the Sheikh Zayed Mosque and the Louvre in Abu Dhabi, while in Dubai all the sights are visited without additional requirements.
Perhaps, with the start of the high tourist season (it begins in October), all emirates will relax the Covid requirements.