Covid in UAE: What are the latest quarantine rules for close contacts in Dubai?

With Covid-19 cases surging in the Emirates, knowing the rules and precautionary measures when close contact gets the coronavirus is crucial.

While UAE health authorities play an active role in ensuring public health safety, here are a few guidelines residents can follow in case they come in close contact with infected persons.

Who is a Covid-19 close contact?

When a person is exposed to a confirmed Covid-19 case, in close proximity of one meter or less, for a period of not less than 15 minutes.

A person in direct physical contact with a positive case, for example, a handshake, two days before the positive case showed symptoms or two days before the positive case got the PCR test done or during the ten days of the illness.

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What are the quarantine rules for close contacts in Dubai?

The seven-day quarantine period begins two days before the confirmed Covid-19 positive case undertook a PCR test or two days before the confirmed patient case showed any coronavirus symptoms.

The quarantine could end after day seven without testing if no symptoms were reported during daily monitoring. For example: If you had dinner with a friend on September 1 and on September 3, your friend went for a PCR test, and the result was positive, your quarantine period will begin from September 1, which is two days before the date of the PCR test, and will continue until September 7.

Another example is: If you had dinner with a friend on September 1 and on September 5, your friend went for a PCR test, and the result was positive, you are not a close contact, and therefore, you do not need to quarantine.

What is the journey of close contacts?

Step 1: The close contact needs to be directly quarantined in a separate room for seven days and follow precautionary measures to ensure the safety of others.

Step 2: DHA will contact and inform the close contact of the necessary procedures or the close contact can call DHA on the toll-free number 800 342.

Step 3: The quarantine is for seven days and there is no need to undergo a PCR test if there are no symptoms.

Step 4: If any symptoms appear during the quarantine period, call 800 342 to book a PCR test appointment.

Step 5: If the test result is positive, you will be contacted for isolation procedures. The isolation period is for ten days. If the test result is negative, you must complete the seven-day quarantine period.

Close contacts can obtain an end of quarantine certificate by calling 800 342 or through the Covid-19 DXB mobile application.

dhanusha@khaleejtimes.com