Green Pass access in effect from today
ABU DHABI PUBLIC SPACES TO ROLL OUT NEW PROTOCOL
Public venues in Abu Dhabi are all set to roll out new Covid-19 safety rules under the Al Hosn Green Pass system to govern entry into public places from today.
Malls have already put out announcements on their social media platforms, and gates and scanning portals have been noted by residents at a number of facilities and attractions. The Green Pass system, approved last week by the UAE’s Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP), is the latest initiative to make public spaces safer amid the Covid-19 outbreak. The Abu Dhabi Emergency, Crisis and Disasters Committee approved the usage of the app last week to ensure safe entry and contact tracing at 11 types of venues and attractions: shopping malls, large supermarkets, gyms, hotels, hotel facilities, public parks, beaches, swimming pools, entertainment centres, cinemas, museums, restaurants and cafés.
Colour-coded system
The system assigns one of three colours to users: red, green or grey, depending on the user’s Covid-19 status. A red colour status indicates that the user has tested positive for Covid-19. A green status indicates that the user is free from Covid-19, but the colour reverts to grey after the latest PCR test becomes invalid. The validity of a PCR test, and therefore how long the Green Pass is available for a user, depends on the user’s vaccination status.
Abu Dhabi’s premier tourist destinations will also begin implementing the Green Pass system from today. Farah Experiences, which operates a number of Yas Island attractions and Qasr Al Watan, said it will also require visitors aged 16 years or more to present a Green Pass.
Several types of venues
The system is also coming into effect across many restaurants, cafés and meeting venues. The validity of the Green Pass is the longest — 30 days — for a resident who has received the second dose of the Covid-19 vaccine more than 28 days ago. Otherwise, the pass validity varies from three days to 14 days.
Keeping this in mind, some Abu Dhabi residents who have not yet been fully vaccinated have said they may resort to more online shopping once the system comes into effect.
Preparations are in full swing across public venues in Abu Dhabi ahead of the roll-out of the Al Hosn Green Pass system today.
Malls have already put out announcements on their social media platforms, and gates and scanning portals have been noted by residents at a number of facilities and attractions.
The Green Pass system, approved last week by the UAE’s Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP), is the latest initiative to make public spaces safer amid the Covid-19 outbreak. The Abu Dhabi Emergency, Crisis and Disasters Committee approved the usage of the app last Wednesday to ensure safe entry and contact tracing at 11 types of venues and attractions: shopping malls, large supermarkets, gyms, hotels, hotel facilities, public parks, beaches, swimming pools, entertainment centres, cinemas, museums, restaurants and cafés.
The system assigns one of three colours to users: red, green or grey, depending on the user’s Covid-19 status. A red colour status indicates that the user has tested positive. A green status indicates that the user is free from Covid-19, but the colour reverts to grey after the latest PCR test becomes invalid.
Active adherence
“Lulu Group has been very actively adhering to all Covid-19 measures and we shall continue doing so for the safety of everyone. Starting June 15, all our malls and hypermarkets in Abu Dhabi will implement the ‘Entry for Green Pass Only’ initiative, and shoppers will have to show their Al Hosn App for verification at the entry points. We have trained our security team for quick and effective verification of the Green Pass so as to avoid unnecessary delays or inconvenience to shoppers. We are also planning to tie-up with certain health care providers to facilitate free PCR Test in our mall premises for our shoppers,” V Nandakumar, director of marketing and communications at Lulu Group, told Gulf News.
“As part of MoHAP’s proactive strategy to combat the pandemic, starting June 15, the mall can only be accessed with
Lulu Group has been very actively adhering to all Covid-19 measures and we shall continue doing so for the safety of everyone.”
V Nandakumar | Lulu Group official
the Green Pass on the Al Hosn app,” Yas Mall announced on its Instagram platform.
Restricted access
Farah Experiences, which operates a number of Yas Island attractions and Qasr Al Watan, said it will also require visitors aged 16 years or more to present a Green Pass.
The system is also coming into effect across many restaurants, cafés and meeting venues. “In light of the latest announcement mandated by The Abu Dhabi Emergency, Crisis and Disasters Committee, MBT Restaurant Management has considered the new protocols and will be implementing them across all its outlets. Entry will not be allowed for guests that are not vaccinated. They must also present a Green Pass on the Al Hosn app that has been valid for no longer than three days,” said Danny Kattar, general manager at MBT Restaurant Management, which runs Beirut Sur Mer restaurant in Abu Dhabi’s Saadiyat Island.
The validity of the Green Pass is the longest — 30 days — for a resident who has received the second dose of the Covid-19 vaccine more than 28 days ago. Otherwise, the pass validity varies from three days to 14 days. Naturally, people who have not been fully vaccinated, and who do not have a vaccine exemption certificate have the shortest Green Pass duration — three days.