Starting Wednesday, wearing face masks will no longer be mandatory in most public spaces in the UAE
26 September 2022
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The loosened rules also include dropping mandatory face masks in UAE schools.
Wearing face masks will no longer be mandatory in most public and indoor places, announced the UAE's National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA).
Individuals are still required to wear a face mask while inside a medical facility (hospitals, clinics, etc.), public transport, places for worship (churches, mosques, and temples), and if you're suspected of infection.
The new changes will come into effect from Wednesday, September 28, 2022, almost two and a half years after the mandatory rule was placed.
The NCEMA recommends that all people with chronic diseases continue to wear face masks.
Students, teachers, and other staff are also not required to wear face masks anymore, making it optional for schools.
The UAE will also stop posting the latest Covid-19 infection statistics in the country.
What are the latest Covid-19 rules in the UAE as of September?
As the number of daily infections in the UAE continues to decline, local authorities have eased most Covid-19 safety rules. The following rules will come in effect from Wednesday, September 28:
Travelling
Individual airlines will be deciding their own face mask rules on board.
Covid-19 requirements to travel out of the country will be dropped, and passengers must follow the arrival rules for their destination countries.
Health and safety rules when arriving into the UAE will remain in place.
Testing for Covid-19
Individuals who have tested positive for Covid-19 while in the UAE are required to isolate at home/self-quarantine for five days. Previously, the home isolation period was 10 days.
Those who have been in close contact with Covid-19 patients will not be required to quarantine.
Residents working in Abu Dhabi will need to take a PCR test every 30 days to maintain the green status on their Al Hosn app. Previously, a Covid-19 test was needed every 14 days.