Update: Covid-19 tests no longer required to visit Abu Dhabi’s beaches, parks

Abu Dhabi’s Department of Municipalities and Transport (DMT) said on Friday evening that Covid-19 tests are no longer required as a pre-condition to access beaches and parks within the emirate.

It came a day after the DMT announced that a few beaches and parks will reopen across the emirate beginning Friday, July 3.

Showing a negative COVID-19 test result is no longer required to access re-opened public beaches and parks in #AbuDhabi pic.twitter.com/4kCgqktUSJ

— مكتب أبوظبي الإعلامي (@admediaoffice) July 3, 2020

In the first phase of the reopening plan drawn up in consultation with the National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Management Authority (NCEMA), the following parks will reopen: Umm Al Emarat Park, Khalifa Park-Abu Dhabi, Salimi Park in Al Ain, and Madinat Zayed Public Park in Al Dhafrah.

Also at this stage, the beaches that will be reopened to the public are: Corniche Public Beach, Al Hudayriat Beach and Al Mirfa Beach in Al Dhafrah.

Staring from Friday July 3, @AbuDhabiDMT will reopen some parks and public beaches. This includes Umm Al Emarat Park and Khalifa Park in Abu Dhabi, Al Sulaimi Park in Al Ain and Madinat Zayed in Al Dhafrah. pic.twitter.com/dUGBuyTLrE

— مكتب أبوظبي الإعلامي (@admediaoffice) July 2, 2020

Occupancy will be capped at 40 per cent of the total visitor capacity, while the car park limit will be reduced by 50 per cent.

Everyone must pre-book their visits via the Smarthub booking system website.

Thermal cameras will check temperatures upon entry, and those with body temperatures of over 37.5°C will not be allowed to remain present at the beach or park.

Visitors to beaches must wear face masks throughout their visits and will need to maintain a distance of two metres from other individuals or four metres from groups, with sunbath seats too spaced in a manner that adheres to the physical distancing directives.

A maximum of four family members are allowed to visit these facilities in a group.

At the parks, in addition to the masks, gloves too must be worn at all times, while water-play and children-play areas will be closed. Also, some zones at the park shall be restricted to groups. Social distancing must be observed here too.

Also, F&B outlets at these venues will operate at 30 per cent of their seating capacity, with a maximum of four people allowed per table which will in turn need to be spaced at a minimum of 2.5m apart. The restaurants must use disposable cutlery only and hand sanitiser dispensers are to be made available to guests.

All staff must wear masks and gloves at all times, and their temperatures must be checked regularly.

The DMT stated that all other parks and beaches in the emirate will be reopened gradually.

Earlier this week, officials in Abu Dhabi said that UAE residents and visitors who wish to enter Abu Dhabi need to present a negative Covid-19 test result, not older than 48 hours.

Read: UAE residents, visitors need negative Covid-19 test to enter Abu Dhabi