Dubai and Abu Dhabi requiring covonavirus test certificates for entry, transfer and exit

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• Colin says:

  28 Jul28 July 07:54

  Sounds like a lot better than a quarantine requirement. I’m not sure what the issue is. I’d imagine a lot of people who go to Dubai have loadsamoney so I’m not sure why getting a test is such a problem?

  • Tom says:

    28 Jul28 July 08:24

    It’s not just the cost (although if you are a family of four, you are presumably looking at £1k+ for tests both ways which is a not insignificant sum even for well above average earners), it’s the hassle.

    If you are someone who happily just throws money at a problem, having to arrange for your family to take tests both ways which you then have to worry you may or may not get back in time may just encourage you to pay more to go somewhere else, surely?

    • Colin says:

      28 Jul28 July 08:32

      All fair points but it’s not that unlikely that other places might start having similar requirements too.

      Germany are already talking about doing this for for people coming from “high risk” places. Who is on that list, for example, could change at very short notice.

• vol says:

  28 Jul28 July 07:56

  I’m going to don my tin hat here – but i think it’s good.

  I would never claim to know all the science and the statistics behind it all but we do know ethnic minorities (although ethnic majority in UAE) are perhaps more susceptible to this disease.

  This sorts out those who want to go from those who really need to go.

  If you value and respect a country and its people you would happily do this. It’s not just solely about tourist industry and the next adventure. Lives are at risk here.

• Matthew says:

  28 Jul28 July 07:56

  Nice little earner for someone. No doubt there will be something in it for the rule makers. Avoid this place, and I hope people remember we are in the midst of the largest health crisis in modern times.

  • Nic says:

    28 Jul28 July 22:45

    Nice earner indeed. I’ve seen home swab tests offered at £190 quid a pop.

• Colin says:

  28 Jul28 July 07:58

  “ in Germany, Health Minister Jens Spahn has said coronavirus tests compulsory will be made compulsory for anyone travelling into the country from high-risk areas.”

  • will says:

    28 Jul28 July 12:50

    It’s a very sensible measure to take, as long as the infrastructure to carry out the tests and administer the results is working properly.

    I’m very uncomfortable with air travel as it currently stands, one flare up at a hub and you have the potential for covid to be widespread over many countries before you even realise it’s happened.

• Matthew Bennion says:

  28 Jul28 July 08:02

  There goes our 6 day trip in September then… The fight for a refund to begin now!

  • Colin says:

    28 Jul28 July 08:06

    Can’t you just get a private test (with a guarantee of results within 24, for example) before you go?

• Ali M says:

  28 Jul28 July 08:36

  This isn’t good news 🙁 I foresee though that there will be a massive backlash and this is BOUND TO get reversed / eased / changed to customary 30 pound test at the airport. This is too harsh and just won’t float for long if airlines want business

• 2002ad says:

  28 Jul28 July 08:47

  I didn’t realise until yesterday that you also need a test if you are travelling between Dubai and Abu Dhabi! However they are a bit ahead of us in terms of testing, they now do a 5 min test in rapid screening centres, which apparently is working well (and costs only £10 per person). https://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/europe/uae-border-covid-19-rapid-screening-centre-proves-successful.

  Yes its sucks as a tourist, but you can see they are really looking after their residents… wish we could say the same here!

  • Spursdebs says:

    28 Jul28 July 09:01

    I’m not worried about getting a test done in Dubai, I’m sure they will have testing stations in place for this, I’m more concerned about finding a place near home to get the departing U.K. test which is acceptable.

    • Colin says:

      28 Jul28 July 09:28

      A link posted on the first page includes U.K. based test facilities approved by the UAE

• Spursdebs says:

  28 Jul28 July 08:58

  Shape of things to come, some countries will be asking for Covid tests and we will all get used to it. Just like the countries who ask for yellow fever, malaria etc. People can choose if they want to go to countries that require tests or go elsewhere.

  .

  • Colin says:

    28 Jul28 July 09:13

    Yes it’s going to become as common as certain destinations requiring a visa. If it’s too much of an inconvenience then people are going to have to adapt and go somewhere else on holiday. It shouldn’t be as difficult as people will inevitably make out.

  • Anna says:

    28 Jul28 July 09:23

    Agreed, however I and many others will not be booking anything which might be cancelled 72 hours before departure (and possibly not covered by insurance) in the event one or more of us tests positive, and tourism operators will know this. So in the long term it will be a major dilemma for individual destinations until a vaccine becomes available.

    • Colin says:

      28 Jul28 July 09:26

      People are going to have to make decisions about what sort of cancellation rush they’re willing to take. If things go wrong, they can’t then cry about it.

      • Colin says:

        28 Jul28 July 09:28

        * risk not rush

    • Spursdebs says:

      28 Jul28 July 09:53

      I won’t be rushing to get the first vaccines, I’m not an anti vaxer I have flu jab every year, but not so sure on anything that’s been rushed out. If it means I can’t go somewhere well I’m sure there will be other places that will happily accept me and my money.

      • Colin says:

        28 Jul28 July 10:20

        I wouldn’t be surprised if most countries worth visiting ask for a vaccination certificate before being allowed in once a vaccine becomes widely available. Who knows really though. It’s all speculation at the moment.

      • Rhys says:

        28 Jul28 July 10:25

        It will depend on the vaccine. The Oxford Vaccine is based on a viral vector that has been in development for years, and has been repurposed and passed key safety trials before the pandemic even started. Much like the flu vaccine, all Oxford have done is change the internal virus – the delivery mechanism stays the same…

        • Colin says:

          28 Jul28 July 10:32

          Here’s a good article on it:

          https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2020-07-15/oxford-s-covid-19-vaccine-is-the-coronavirus-front-runner

          I can certainly understand people not wanting to take an American vaccine that Trump May try to rush through before the November election….

        • Jonathan says:

          28 Jul28 July 14:20

          I’m in the Oxford trial & 99% certain I had the Covid vaccine rather than the placebo. It made me feel fairly ropey for 36 hours which seems to be common but they’ve now given it to over 5,000 people with no serious side effects. I really wouldn’t worry about it, as Rhys says, it’s a relatively old technique.

        • Colin says:

          28 Jul28 July 16:45

          “ I’m in the Oxford trial & 99% certain I had the Covid vaccine rather than the placebo. It made me feel fairly ropey for 36 hours which seems to be common but they’ve now given it to over 5,000 people with no serious side effects. I really wouldn’t worry about it, as Rhys says, it’s a relatively old technique.”

          Interesting. Hopefully there won’t be misinformation posted by mental people on the internet about the trial (spoiler alert: there will be)

        • Rob says:

          28 Jul28 July 16:59

          The side effects are already noted in the research published to date. Unfortunately it isn’t a walk in the park which is awkward as it will require young people – who are unlikely to suffer if they catch it – to take a hit by getting the vaccine.

        • Rhys says:

          28 Jul28 July 17:00

          No different to other vaccines. I remember feeling a little woozy the evening of my MenACWY vaccine as a student – but it only lasts 24-48 hours or so.

        • Colin says:

          28 Jul28 July 17:31

          “ No different to other vaccines. I remember feeling a little woozy the evening of my MenACWY vaccine as a student – but it only lasts 24-48 hours or so.”

          Yes I was warned that I might have flu like symptoms are taking jabs when I went to Vietnam last year. I got a very bad cold and soiled myself in my sleep whilst staying in a hotel a few days later (not in Vietnam, as the jabs need to be taken 2 or 3 weeks before the trip).

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