Covid-19 Guidelines for Celebrating New Year 2022 in Dubai

After hosting one of the most amazing Christmas celebrations in the world, Dubai is all set to host some of the most remarkable New Year extravaganzas. Considering how marvellous and world-famous Dubai’s new year celebrations are, sizable crowds are expected to gather in the city of Dubai. On top of that, the implementation of the new long weekend laws will coincide with the arrival of New Year 2022 in Dubai. Even when the dawn of a new year and the long weekend is upon us, the danger of Covid-19 and the forthcoming variants of the virus continues to loom. And with the new, highly infectious Omicron it is essential to take all possible precautionary steps to keep the infection spread in check.

This is why the National Crisis and Emergency Management Authority of the UAE has established some stern guidelines to make sure the Covid-19 spread is kept at bay when people are immersed in welcoming the New Year 2022 in Dubai. The established guidelines are to be strictly followed as violations are chargeable with hefty fines. Since the current spread of the Omicron variant is not as bad as it was in the previous year, the restrictions are a little less stringent as compared to the previous year. However, every guideline must still be followed to the T.

Protocol for Event Venue Organisers

• All New Year’s Eve celebration venues are to operate at a maximum of 80% capacity.
• The authorities must ask for a negative RT-PCR test for Covid-19 from all the attendees, which has been taken no more than 96 hours before.
• All the exit and entry gates of the venues are to be barricaded and have a sanitation station. All guests should be sanitised properly before entering and exiting.
• Temperature check stations are also to be set up and all attendees must be tested for a normal basal temperature before entering.
• Social distancing must be practised by all, and the venue staff must create groups to make sure that social distancing and other protocols are being followed properly.
• Seating arrangements are also to be made, keeping social distancing in mind.
• Venues should be sanitised regularly during and after the events.
• Overcrowding is to be avoided at all costs.

Protocol for the Guests

• All guests must have a negative RT-PCR test report for Covid-19 to enter any of the new year event venues in Dubai and the rest of the UAE. The test report must not be older than 96 hours.
• All attendees are required to wear face masks at all times while attending the events.
• As mentioned above, social distancing must be practised at all times. The attendees must leave 1.5 meters of distance between each other.
• Families attending an event together can sit together without following the protocols related to social distancing.
• Everyone must get their basal temperature checked at every checkpoint set up at the venues.
• Proper sanitation measures should be followed by all attendees at the venues.
• Exchanging pleasantries by shaking hands and other forms of physical contact is forbidden.

Fines Imposed on Violations in Dubai

Strict penalties have been put on violations of rules in place to control the spread of Covid-19 and the Omicron variant. Anyone who is found violating the precautionary rules set by the NCEMA in Dubai will face a penalty of AED 3000. The firework show for New Year’s Eve will be hosted at 29 different places in Dubai, which means that the aforementioned rules need to be strictly followed by all. The Omicron variant is found to be more infectious as compared to the previous mutations and hence extra precautions must be taken.

Additional Protocols Imposed by the Abu Dhabi Administration

In the light of the recent Covid-19 variant spread, Abu Dhabi has taken it upon itself to establish some further restrictions and rules related to the New Year celebrations. The occupancy of all new year party venues has been reduced to 60% instead of 80% as suggested by the NCEMA. All attendees must download the Al Hosn application on their phones and have their vaccination details ready. Only fully vaccinated people can enter public spaces and take part in the events. Yet again, the attendees must produce a negative RT-PCR test report that is no more than 96 hours old.

In a Nutshell

The joy and excitement of welcoming the new year is something nothing can beat. But with a very dangerous threat like Omicron, it is incredibly important to follow all the guidelines set by the National Crisis and Emergency Management Authority. In addition to that, you must make it your personal responsibility to maintain distance from other attendees and prevent the spread of Covid-19 amid the New Year celebrations in Dubai and the rest of the UAE. Always wear your mask properly and carry a personal sanitiser with you. Make sure that you wear the most secure N-95 face mask and maintain a proper distance from people. This will not only save you from paying hefty fines but also prevent infection. Omicron is spreading at an alarming rate and is soon expected to replace the Delta variant as the dominant global variant of the Covid-19 virus. Hence, make sure that your festivities do not bring along a new wave of the Covid-19 variant. Stay cautious, safe and wary of the potential threat while being on top of celebrating New Year 2022 in Dubai.