The United Arab Emirates’ National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA) announced on Monday an update to the Green Status system on the Al Hosn App which will be valid for 14 days after a negative COVID-19 test instead of 30 days, in light of the recent spike in infections across the country.
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“We inform you today about the decision to update the Al Hosn app’s green system. The period of green status validity will be reduced from 30 days to 14 days, as a precautionary and preventive measure,” the authority said in televised special briefing.
The decision “aims to ensure the accuracy of the testing process and encourage more periodic checks.”
The update will be activated on Wednesday, except for employees in the education sector and students, who will have the update on their Al Hosn apps by next Monday, June 20.
This comes as the UAE’s COVID-19 cases surged dramatically, accounting for a more than two-fold increase in infections in less than a week, NCEMA said.
The UAE registered 1,319 new coronavirus cases on Monday, marking the highest number of daily recorded cases since February, but no deaths were recorded during the 24-hour period.
NCEMA said that it has recently “monitored some behaviors that have become a danger to society and public health,” referring to people not adhering to COVID-19 precautionary and preventative measures and how it has “negatively” impacted “recovery efforts.
“Negligence and recklessness in following precautionary measures, and failure in the societal role in maintaining public health and acquired immunity, has resulted in a rise in the number of infections and new waves of the virus,” the authority spokesman said in the briefing.
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“Studies have proven that wearing masks is one of the most important factors in maintaining health and safety, and from the risk of contracting a COVID-19 infection,” NCEMA said Monday.
“The effectiveness of the mask lies in reducing the speed and strength of the spread of the disease, especially in closed and crowded places.”
The authority reaffirmed the need to wear masks in closed public spaces, reiterating that it was mandatory and that not adhering to this rule would result in a fine of up to $816 (AED 3,000).
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