Abu Dhabi: No masks for students at outdoor places; school buses to operate at 100% capacity

Abu Dhabi, UAE: As per the amended COVID-19 containment measures, students in the capital city of the United Arab Emirates can now take off their face masks, but only during the time of playing or doing any other outside activities. The circular containing new protocols for institutions have been issued today (on Wednesday, March 9). 

Earlier, wearing masks and maintaining a certain physical distance was mandatory for the students, but as per the new guideline, students of grade 2 and above will have to wear a mask while in the classroom or indoor but can remove it outside the school. 

The new guidelines state: 

• The optional physical distance at the outdoor places for students. 
• Wearing masks is not mandatory (optional) at outdoor places. 
• Sports activities and competitions can take place, but the educational institutions will have to follow the reduced risk mitigation controls. 
• Trips can be planned for students, although schools will have to abide by the measures of the particular destination to which the field trip has been planned. 

Moreover, the school buses in the capital city can now operate at a complete 100% seating capacity. 

Although the quarantine requirements are over for the schools, but the COVID-19 testing requirement is still in place. The close contact students who are below the age group of 18 years will not have to undergo a quarantine, but the students are needed to undergo a test on the first and fourth day. 

On the other hand, students who are of 18 years and above, teachers and the other staff members of a school will no longer have to undergo a quarantine but are required to get themselves tested for the COVID-19 virus every initial five days, following a contact with any of the coronavirus positive individual. 

Additionally, today, UAE reported a total of 392 additional cases of the COVID-19 virus, with a total of 1,329 COVID recoveries and zero deaths.