Workers of Dubai healthcare, who were in close contact with Covid-19 positive, have been excluded from quarantine. 

In a circular released by the Dubai Healthcare Authority, the decision is in line with the directives from the Command and Control Centre for Covid-19 in Dubai. 

Healthcare workers can avoid quarantine if the following conditions are met: 

• Contact healthcare workers are free of symptoms;
•  The primary series of vaccination and the booster dose have been taken; 
• the primary series of vaccinations have been completed and they had earlier been infected with Covid-19.

As of Thursday, January 20, this circular is in effect. Similarly, the Department of Health in Abu Dhabi issued a mandate for healthcare workers as well.

The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) opened three new centres for COVID-19 PCR tests. 

As of the moment, DHA covers more than 200 examination centres in Dubai to process COVID-19 screening. 

In collaboration with Unilabs, Al Mankhool, Nad Al Sheba and Nad Al Hammar in which can accommodate 1500 screenings per day. It is open 24 hours and seven days a week. It is also available in drive-thru system. 

On the other hand, Al Lusialy screening hall only accept individuals who has an appointment. The timings starts at 8:00AM- 4:00PM, Monday to Friday respectively. 

In February, UK National Day in Expo 2020 will be attended by Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge.  

Kensington Palace has announced that the Duke of Cambridge’s trip to the UAE next month will mark his first official visit to the country. 

It is a request made by the Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office. He will also be making his first significant overseas visit since a tour of the Middle East in 2019. 

“The bond between the UK and the UAE is deep and strong, and Prince William’s visit will highlight and build upon these links as he has the opportunity to engage with young Emiratis, leaders from government, and committed conservationists,” Kensington Palace said in a statement. 

Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA) is urging the public to save lives by donating blood. This comes after a reminder to citizens and residents that anyone who has been infected with COVID-19 can safely donate blood 10 days after positive result if asymptomatic, and if symptomatic the person can donate 10 days after resolution of symptoms. In addition, people who have received the COVID-19 vaccine can donate blood.

Dr. Marwan Al Kaabi, Acting Group Chief Operations Officer at SEHA, said, “Blood donation is a noble humanitarian act and supports the UAE spirit of giving back. A healthy person can donate blood every 56 days and there are also many surprising benefits that help renew donors’ activity and strengthen their body. On behalf of SEHA, I would like to thank all of the public who continued to selflessly donate blood during the pandemic to help meet the needs of hospitals and patients. From the support that the blood bank receives from donors, we will together protect the health and safety of patients and make a substantial impact on their journey towards recovery.”

In the last year, Abu Dhabi Blood Banks Services (ADBBS), the only provider of blood transfusion services in Abu Dhabi, contributed to saving the lives of thousands of patients who received critical and emergency health care. ADBBS is committed to providing adequate and safe supply of blood to all public and private hospitals across the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, which exceed 50 hospitals, as well as to all other emirates across the UAE in case of critical and emergency needs.

Speaking about the importance of donating blood for patients, Dr. Huda Al Shamsi, Director of Blood Bank Services in Abu Dhabi said, “We rely heavily on regular blood donations from the UAE community to keep our blood banks filled with the necessary stock to save the lives of patients who constantly need blood transfusions, including those with thalassemia and sickle cell anemia. I would like to reassure the public that safety is our top priority and all of blood banks and facilities across Abu Dhabi, Al Ain or Al Dhafra follow the necessary COVID-19 precautionary measures.”

WAM

As cities around the world are facing a range of new challenges, a recent report has highlighted factors that can help governments formulate resilient, agile plans for long-term growth.

The World Government Summit (WGS), in collaboration with KPMG Lower Gulf, recently published the report, “Future of Cities: Three Principles for Digital Transformation in Cities”.

Launched to coincide with the Global Goals Week activities taking place at Expo 2020 Dubai, the report also evaluates how governments can prepare for future challenges by leveraging technology, according to a press release issued on Wednesday.

The global urban population is expected to increase by 68 percent by 2050, and continuing migration towards cities means their sizes are likely to double by 2070.

The World Economic Forum estimated that by 2040, the world is expected to face a US$15 trillion “infrastructure gap”. Enhancing future readiness by accelerating digital transformation is imperative for “citizen- customers.”

These principles comprise: adopting a mindset prioritising ‘citizen-customers’; establishing a foundation that enables ‘smart digitalisation’ through strong IT and cloud infrastructure, partnerships, focused leadership and continuous learning; and utilising ‘leapfrogging’ that enables acceleration of the development cycle via digitalisation and tech-enabled infrastructure.

The report also explores various initiatives, implemented by cities across ten countries that promote digital innovation and provide integrated community services for individuals.

It analyses how they were able to enhance their digital capabilities, as well as employ the latest technologies to achieve set goals, identify current needs and find corresponding innovative solutions.

For example, Dubai created an app designed to capture citizen-customer happiness data in a consolidated city dashboard. The goal was to allow private sector and government entities to evaluate citizen-customer experiences with live iterative data within industry sectors and geographic areas. It provided clear directions for service improvements.

Mohammed Yousef Al Sharhan, Deputy Managing Director of the World Government Summit Organisation, said, “WGS has established its position as a global platform for government knowledge in providing research and addressing future trends that enable officials and decision-makers to design new policies and develop plans that enhance the readiness of governments for the future.”

He emphasised the importance of publishing the ‘Future of Cities’ report in conjunction with the Global Goals Week, adding that the report emphasises the need for strategic planning for governments seeking to leverage digitalisation to effectively solve their cities’ challenges and achieve the global goals.

Mazen Houalla, Partner, Head of Portfolio, Programme and Project Management, KPMG Lower Gulf, said, “Using examples of successful practices from around the world, our report provides practical solutions for city leaders, public administrators, and municipal stakeholders on how to build resiliency into their planning and how to prepare for – and meet – future challenges using technology.

“Cities can move to smart digitalisation by adopting rigorous analyses of tech solutions. Digitalisation, done ‘smartly’, can now be applied more quickly and more cost effectively than in the past.”

The report underscores the importance of rapid decision-making, setting priorities, and fostering city identities, by potentially adopting three types of “vision”. These include aspirational goals with long-term targets, focused ones directed towards specific, medium-term targets, and those that prioritise core functions in the short-term.

Another of the report’s recommendations is that cities would do well to embrace sustainability. Guiding their strategy should be the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), one of which is, “Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.”

For example, United for Smart Sustainable Cities (U4SSC) is a UN programme initiated by United Cities in 2016 by 17 UN entities. United Cities and the SDG Impact Fund established the United Cities Fund (UCF) to help cities with data management and reporting, digital solutions, finance, and capacity-building.

The first national U4SSC Implementation Programme was set up in Norway, a five-year scheme to support cities and stakeholders in the transition to smart, sustainable development.

This report is one of a series being released by the WGS Organisation, which recently announced the signing of eight new knowledge partnerships with a selection of the most prominent consulting companies and specialised global research institutions in the world.

The aim is to spearhead scientific reports and studies to address the world’s most pressing challenges, while analysing trends and identifying opportunities to enhance governments’ readiness for the future.

To view the “Future of Cities: Principles for Digital Transformation in Cities” report, please visit the following link:

https://www.worldgovernmentsummit.org/observer/reports/2022/detail/principles-for-digital.

WAM

Dubai Crown Prince and President of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum has issued a decision promoting Salem Humaid AlMarri, Deputy Director General of Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC), to the position of Director General of the Centre. The Decision is effective from the date of issuance and will be published in the Official Gazette.

With over 15 years of experience, AlMarri has been responsible for ensuring the success of various programmes within the UAE National Space Programme including Mars 2117, Emirates Mars Mission, UAE Astronaut Programme, and the UAE Satellite Programme. AlMarri has also overseen the expansion of MBRSC into new scientific and technical fields alongside ensuring continuous developments in the space sector.

AlMarri received the UAE Pioneers Award in 2014 for being the first project manager of the UAE satellite DubaiSat-1 and DubaiSat-2. He was the head of the bidding team that won the rights to host the International Astronautical Congress (IAC) in Dubai and was also the lead of the organising committee (LOC Chair) for the global event held for the first time in an Arab country in Dubai from 25-29 October 2021. AlMarri has represented the UAE and MBRSC in numerous international conferences and organisations worldwide, including the United Nations, the International Astronautical Federation, and others. In 2016, he was elected as the first UAE member of the International Academy of Astronautics.

WAM

The United Arab Emirates mobile data speed is still incomparable as it ranks number one in the recent mobile global performance rankings in December, according to the Ookla Speedtest Global Index.

The country’s mobile data speed runs to 138.38Mbps bringing the country to number one in the global ranking.

The UAE ranks 1st out of 138 countries in mobile data speed..

On the other hand, the country also rank 16 in fixed broadband speed with 118.01Mbps.

According to the Ookla Speedtest Global Index report for December 2021, median rather than mean download speeds were used. Ookla explained that median was a measure that captured a user’s typical experience and that the median download speed reflects what a user can expect in a market.

In statistical terms, the median is less likely to be influenced by outliers than the mean.

During the UAE Government media briefing on the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Hazza Al Mansouri, Official Spokesman of the UAE’s Education Sector, announced the gradual return of in-class learning in the UAE over two groups.

The first group will return on 24th January while the second group will return on 31st January.

Dr. Farida Al Hosani, Official Spokesperson of the UAE Health Sector, stressed the importance of adhering to relevant precautionary measures while noting the country’s leadership priorities the community’s health and safety.

During the briefing, Al Hosani said the UAE is a distinguished model of the flexible handling of the pandemic and COVID-19 crisis management. She stressed that the country’s readiness is the outcome of the collaboration and coordination between national authorities and relevant sectors, which are working together as one team to implement the directives of the UAE’s leadership.

The national efforts of all federal and local authorities and private entities are continuing to create a healthy environment for members of the community. Authorities are operating specialist teams with professional staff to ensure the health and safety of citizens, residents, and visitors, she added.

The national efforts of the country’s hospitals related to treating COVID-19 are providing a healthy preventive environment, and all hospitals. Health authorities are fully ready to offer the best healthcare services to the country’s citizens, residents, and visitors, she further added.

Dr. Al Hosani affirmed that the health sector is continuing to achieve collective immunity, by providing vaccines to all eligible segments of the population. She stated that 100 percent of the population has received their first COVID-19 vaccine dose while 93.19 percent are fully vaccinated.

“The UAE has been keen to provide approved vaccines at a very early stage free of charge in all health establishments around the country, to achieve collective immunity and protect people’s health,” she stressed.

“Studies have shown that booster shots significantly reduce infections and complications. We urge individuals over 18 to take booster shots, especially the elderly and those with chronic diseases,” she said. The health crisis has demonstrated that adhering to the precautionary measures is key to protecting the population, along with vaccination campaigns, she added.

She also affirmed the importance of adopting healthy habits and practices to ensure the community’s health and safety, such as wearing face masks, ensuring social distancing, regular sanitisation and undergoing regular testing.

“We advise everyone to be cautious if they experience flu symptoms, most notably respiratory system symptoms that are similar to those of seasonal flu. We also highlight the importance of undergoing PCR testing,” Al Hosani stated.

She again highlighted the importance of undergoing PCR tests, given their accuracy in detecting and limiting infections. Taking the vaccine does not mean one should stop adhering to related preventive measures, and following updated protocols aimed at curbing the spread of the pandemic.

Dr. Al Hosani explained that everyone is responsible for protecting the country’s achievements over the past two years. “We stress the importance of adhering to the preventive measures amidst the gradual resumption of activities. Your health is a priority of the UAE’s leadership.”

Al Mansouri explained the updated procedures and directives of the Ministry of Education, in line with developments to the pandemic.

Under this framework, he said the education sector is fully prepared to proactively address emergencies while ensuring the continuity of the education system, by monitoring the situation and current developments.

He highlighted the ongoing efforts to monitor the pandemic, to ensure the safe return to normalcy, maintain public health and protect the health and safety of students, teachers, and administrative staff in educational establishments.

“Under the framework of monitoring the current situation and facilitating the safe resumption of schools, a gradual return to in-class learning has been decided, as the first group will return on 24th January,” Al Mansouri said.

“This first group will include nursery students, first-grade students, 12th-grade students or 13th-grade in the British education system. Students who will undergo international and major examinations. The first group will also comprise higher education establishments’ students,” he added.

The green pass system will be implemented for this group, he said and added that the second group, which will comprise the remaining school levels and grades, will return to schools on 31st January.

The Ministry of Education has also implemented several preventive measures to ensure the smooth return of in-person education, and all students must show a negative PCR test result not older than 96 hours, as well as undergo a PCR test every two weeks, he explained.

Parents must also use the green pass system on the Al Hosn app before entering educational establishments, as well as show a negative PCR test result not older than 96 hours, he stressed. School trips will be suspended until further notice, while sports and cultural activities in schools will continue with the application of relevant precautionary measures.

The remote learning option will be available for parents who want their children to continue education remotely until the situation in the country is re-evaluated, Al Mansouri said. School administrations will contact parents directly and provide them with information on the learning system and the health situation, he added.

He urged parents to undergo PCR tests early to avoid overcrowding the testing facilities. He noted that these guidelines are subject to updates according to the requirements of health authorities and the monitoring of the current health situation.

“During all stages of the crisis, the educational sector’s administrations and employees have proven their efficiency and flexibility in addressing the situation. We thank them for implementing the country’s directives aimed at maintaining public health and safety,” he said.

At the end of the briefing, Al Mansouri highlighted the importance of the community’s responsibility and the key role of its members in protecting the country’s achievements.