UAEの対コロナ政策 How UAE deals with Covid-19

UAEの対コロナ政策と生活について寄稿した記事→https://www.vogue.co.jp/lifestyle/article/life-after-covid-19-abu-dhabi-2 (My article in Japanese, and I translated it to English below.)

Throughout this one year, it seems that the UAE government and people have found a way to get along with COVID-19. The government took strict policies initially, but in terms of sustainability and considering public reaction, it has selected effective preventive measures and rules that are also thoroughly implemented along with penalties.

Currently, the UAE implements various rules, such as wearing masks for individuals and installing body temperature inspections for hotels and commercial facilities at the entrance. Those who violate COVID-19 rules will face fines up to 50,000 AED or imprisonment. Besides, visitors from countries except several to the Abu Dhabi Emirates must spend ten days quarantine period wearing a waterproof GPS watch set by screws. Due to those strict rules’ implementation, anxiety and stress of infection are minimal and they spend everyday life safely.

In a country with 90% foreign workers, the impact of initial lockdown and reducing economic activities went beyond expectations. Since then, I assume, the government has decided not to take a similar policy in the future. As the country has readied for the Dubai World Expo this coming October, which was postponed due to COVID-19, large-scale events are gradually starting to take place with three pillars: PCR testing, vaccination, and thorough compliance with the rules.

Royals as the leading model

Since March of last year, UAE people may have used their Bedouin skills or idea and built numerous tents for PCR testing and outdoor hospitals. They have carried out the number of PCR test per population at one of the world’s highest rate. In the early spring of the same year, each emirate’s royal family took a PCR test and showing the picture of inspection with sticks in their nose in newspapers and social media to encourage public understanding when people still feared that PCR inspections.

Then, in July last year, Abu Dhabi accepted the implementation of the third phase of clinical trials of China’s Sinopharm vaccine. Again, to encourage people’s participation in the trial, the royals from youth to elderly, who do not usually show their skin, pulled out the clothes at the shoulders for vaccination and published the images. Also, the authority did emergency registration of various vaccines from China, Russia, Europe and the United States and launched a vaccination campaign in January this year. Vaccination centres have been established, such as in shopping malls and in corporate parking lots. As a result, more than 50% of residents and over 70% of elderly and chronically ill people have been vaccinated before Ramadan in April.

Let’s cross the Abu Dhabi Emirates’ border!

Last summer, I went into a hermit mode in the Abu Dhabi Emirates and waited for the border lifting between other Emirates. That is because nothing was ensured around the border at that time, also I afraid if I could not come back to Abu Dhabi. However, in the first place, the temperature here reaches around 50 degrees in summer. Therefore, I rarely go out during summer, whether in the period of COVID-19 or no. However, the temperature starts to drop to around the 30s in October, which means a comfortable “winter” begins. So I suddenly realized “I am waiting the day when regulations are lifted, but it will be the time when COVID-19 goes. Will that day come?”

One day in October, my friend invited me to dive at the Fujairah Emirate, located at the end of UAE land, where I could overlook Oman. I took this as a perfect opportunity, and decided “Ok, Let’s cross the emirate border!”. I drove and zipped between mountains of Emirates on the way, which I had not seen for a long time. The colours of yellow and green fishes reflected the sea surface. All were sparkling and dazzling under the sunshine. I had not seen fish alive for a longtime too . However, time was cruel and flew. The time came to returning the Abu Dhabi Emirate. Nervously, I approached the border.

At the border on the way back

However, the inspection process had evolved more than expected. Everything went over in a minute. Medical staff took my blood after made a sting hole in my finger and checked the existence of an antibody (DPI test ). I showed the result at the border, which was sent to my smartphone by Short message, and successfully cross the border. Wow, nothing was complicated. Nowadays, DPI drive-through is available, so we do not need to get out of the car. One of the other options to pass the border is to present a vaccinated mark in the App. The mark will disappear if you do not undergo a PCR test for each period. However, if you undergo PCR or DPI test when necessary, the mark will appear again. There was another thing I had to do. Once I returned to Abu Dhabi, it is mandatory to undergo a PCR test on the days fourth and eighth. Now the PCR cost reduced to around 20US dollars for each. I found those whole processes are not tricky than what I expected as long as I accept a hole in my finger. Of course, I’d happy to accept.

Taste of the success but everyone thinks same

I got a taste of this success and enjoyed the escape from Abu Dhabi repeatedly for a break. Since then, I’ve repeated to escape from Abu Dhabi to take a breather and feel the freedom! However, everyone thinks the same. Many areas are tinged with families, such as at the foot of the mountains, parks, beaches and lakes. Due to the school shut-down measure, parents with children have been puzzled over where they can amuse children. Therefore, sometimes on the weekend, we have to spend one hour waiting for inspection and one hour for the cross-border line. Also, I find hotels in the resort Island in Abu Dhabi but they are occupied until a few weeks away.

In other emirates, the restrictions and public awareness are not as serious as in Abu Dhabi, where I live, so my friends hug and shake hands. Also, everyone removes the mask at the gathering of inner circles. I was a bit surprised when I got a joke that they wore a mask during their conversations as imitations of Abu Dhabi residents. It was interesting how different the way people see and react to this issue depending on the society where people belong to.

The new normal

One day, I enjoyed a BBQ in the desert of Abu Dhabi with Emirate people who were very aware of infection control. They laid a beautiful carpet, wore plastic gloves to prevent infection, and they put foods on disposable dishes on the table. Brought not only an automatic disinfectant set but also they set mobile handwashing. Words leaked from my mouth, “Everything is here,” then a guy said: “What are you saying? We are BEDOUINS”. And he said that they could prepare neither sofa nor TV, which was still far from perfect. Then they collected all garbage and left nothing in the desert as if we didn’t do BBQ that night.

About my work, we’ve been to the office every other day. Sometimes, we have e-mail system trouble which is now crucial when we work from home, however, the organization is moving toward reducing the amount of work. My new boss, who just arrived from the U.S., said, “I’ve been working hard so far but now we can maintain our own time and ensure holidays. It’s made me think about how I should spend my time while I live in Abu Dhabi”.

Life in COVID-19 pandemic has become normal, and we can’t expect its ending. The environment limits our life, however, it is also true that we can spend our days in a different rhythm that we had not been able to do before.