Covid-19, the new strain of coronavirus has undoubtedly created a world epidemic, and its effects are still being grappled with globally. Pandemic outbreaks have occurred before on numerous occasions, and they have had a crippling effect on the world economy. However, never before the world has collectively experienced such a bottleneck effect on international trade and shipping. The underlying causes are numerous and include factory closures, supply shortage, transit and payment delays, to name a few. Many businesses have been pushed to the brink of bankruptcy in increasing numbers worldwide. The virus and its causes were relatively unknown before 2019, and two years down the lane, the world is still recovering from its effects.

In comparison with the rest of the world, the UAE has however, led the vaccine race and has been at the forefront, taking proactive measures to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the people. The UAE currently leads the world nations in the number of Covid-19 vaccines administered, with 96% of its population being fully vaccinated. This is a staggering achievement, and combined with the Covid-19 protection measures, the country has successfully brought life close to normal, with residents being able to enjoy a more accessible and healthier environment compared to many other nations.

Al Hosn Application:

The UAE government has introduced the Al Hosn application, which functions as the official application of the government for both contact tracing, as well as health status updates related to Covid-19. The application serves as the e-platform facilitating the following measures:

Latest Health protocols:

The health system in the UAE provides both governments funded as well as private health facilities, able to provide a comprehensive health care solution. The emergency response system is managed by the National Crisis and Emergency Management Authority (NCEMA). The covid-19 precautionary measures are strictly enforced within the UAE, with violations inviting hefty penalties. The NCEMA has recently introduced the new covid-19 countermeasures and health protocol which will be in effect from 1 March 2022.

The newly introduced health protocols are a welcome change, one that vouches for the country’s ability to lead by example in systematic handling of the covid-19 crisis. While introducing the new rules, the government has also stressed upon continued public responsibility of the people to adhere to the preventive measure (though now more relaxed) in place. The focus now remains to achieve a full return to normalcy.