COVID-19: One year on...how the UAE has been tackling the pandemic

It has been a year since the World Health Organisation declared the coronavirus a pandemic, prompting a rapid nationwide response across the UAE.

The first confirmed cases in the country were announced on January 29, 2020, just days after the airports in Abu Dhabi and Dubai made temperature screening mandatory for all travellers arriving directly from China.

It was in early February that the first COVID-19 patient, a 73-year-old Chinese woman, was released after recovering from the virus.

In a month Dubai announced mandatory PCR test results for all travellers entering the emirate, and schools went into remote learning, while prayers at all places of worship were suspended.

On March 20, the first two deaths in the country were confirmed.

This prompted an intense disinfection campaign with residents asked to stay home during the evenings, and a permit system launched to allow people to leave home for emergencies or essential work.

Public transport system also were suspended with Dubai's Al Ras district cordoned off for two weeks for testing.

A 24-hour curfew was introduced on April 4, and was reduced to 10-hours on April 24 with economic activity gradually restarting in the country.

In May, parks, hotels and beaches were allowed to re-open in Dubai, with guidelines on face masks revised.

It was a month later that Abu Dhabi introduced special permits and PCR test results to enter the UAE capital.

In July, Dubai reopened for tourists while the UAE joined the Phase III trials for testing the Sinopharm vaccine.

Cut to December, when UAE announced the official registration of the Sinopharm vaccine and the emergency registration of the Pfizer-BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine. 

Towards the end of the month, the UAE started its free vaccination drive against COVID-19 for all citizens and residents above the age of 18.

Watch Surina Kelly list out the timeline on Dubai Eye 103.8's Business Breakfast show.

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