From nearly 4,000 to 48: How UAE's daily Covid cases dipped to lowest in 20 months

From a high of nearly 4,000 daily Covid-19 cases in the first month of 2021 to less than 50 in the last, the UAE has come a long way in its fight against Covid-19.

A robust vaccination campaign rolled out for free across the country for both Emiratis and expats has seen 100 per cent of eligible residents get at least one dose of a jab. This, along with proactive mass Covid testing and strict safety rules, has helped the country tide over the pandemic, including managing more infectious Covid-19 strains like Delta and Omicron.

Authorities in the country took every measure necessary — borders were closed; schools and offices went online; and stay-home orders issued — to protect the residents.

Here, we chronicle the key milestones in the UAE’s fight against the coronavirus:

January 29, 2020: The first Covid-19 case

A four-member Chinese family was infected with the coronavirus. Back then, it was referred to as 2019-nCoV virus.

February 9, 2020: The first recovery

A 73-year-old woman from China recovered after undergoing treatment at a UAE hospital. Liu Yujia credited authorities in the UAE for her swift recovery.

March 4, 2020: Schools ordered to close down

All schools and education institutes in the UAE were ordered to shut down and classes went online. Initially, the shutdown was for four weeks, but it was extended.

March 16, 2020: Mosques, places of worship close down

Mosques and places of worship were ordered shut to prevent gatherings. They remained shut for months, and the faithful offered their prayers with their loved ones at home.

March 19, 2020: UAE shuts borders

The UAE suspended the entry of travellers to the country to shut out the virus.

March 26, 2020: StayHome orders issued

Authorities across the country urged residents to stay home as a nation-wide sterilisation programme was announced. Only essential workers and those who needed to buy food and medicines were allowed to step out of their homes. Residents needed to take permits from the police to get out of their homes.

June 24, 2020: Movement restrictions lifted

After months of staying home, residents were allowed to travel freely across the country at any time of the day.

July 1, 2020: Mosques reopen

Places of worship reopened 107 days after they were closed to keep the faithful safe from the spread of Covid-19.

July 7, 2020: Dubai opens to tourists

The world’s top tourist destination, Dubai, reopened to visitors with strict Covid safety measures. Reflecting its famed hospitality even amid a pandemic, Dubai welcomed travellers with special stickers on passports that read: 'A warm welcome to your second home.'

August 29, 2020: Schools reopen

Some schools began offering hybrid learning — which saw some students return to campus, while others learned from home.

September 2020: UAE approves its first Covid vaccine

UAE was among the first countries to approve a Covid-19 vaccine, when in September it began vaccinating frontline workers. This came a month after the UAE government launched the world’s first phase III clinical trial of a Covid-19 inactivated vaccine.

November 3, 2020: Sheikh Mohammed leads the way

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, received a dose of the Covid-19 vaccine on November 3. “We appreciate the efforts of the teams that worked hard to make our country one of the first to receive the vaccine for this virus. The future is always better and more beautiful in the United Arab Emirates,” Sheikh Mohammed had posted on Twitter as he shared a photo of him receiving the jab.

December 2020: UAE approves Pfizer vaccine

This came after the vaccine recorded a 95 per cent efficacy rate.

January 28, 2021: Highest daily cases reported

The UAE is the most vaccinated country on earth. As of December 6, close to 91 per cent of eligible UAE residents are fully vaccinated against Covid-19.