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Combating coronavirus: 12 checkpoints in Abu Dhabi to implement movement ban

Abu Dhabi - The police have urged residents to comply with the travel restrictions.

The Abu Dhabi Police have set up 12 checkpoints at various entrances of the emirates as the week-long travel ban starts from today.
The police announced on Monday that there is a ban on movement in and out of Abu Dhabi as well as between the emirate's regions of Capital city, Al Ain and Al Dhafra.
The police have urged residents to comply with the travel restrictions.
"Everyone must cooperate to implement the ban on movement. We ask members of the community to avoid travel between cities until the completion of National Screening Programme," said Brigadier Salem bin Barak Al Dhaheri, Deputy Director of Traffic and Patrols Department.
Mass testing
Mass testing for coronavirus will be conducted during this period.
Abdulla Al Hamed, chairman of the Abu Dhabi Department of Health (DoH), said on Sunday that mass testing is a key pillar of Abu Dhabi's strategy to contain the spread of Covid-19 through the national screening programme.
The official said with the expansion of the testing project to include high-density areas, and to ensure that the largest possible number of the emirate's population is reached as quickly as possible, authorities had to ban the movement between cities and reduce contact as much as possible.
"The goal of this temporary ban is to ensure the success of all efforts to fight this virus so that life can return to its natural course," said Al Hamed.
How tests will be conducted
Early last month, the DoH had announced the launch of the mass Covid-19 testing programme that was intended to screen all workers in the industrial areas of Musaffah. The free-of-charge Covid-19 testing programme at three massive testing centres in Mussaffah are being availed of by thousands of workers.
The facilities have a capacity of conducting more than 10,000 tests per day and results can be obtained in 48 hours. No legal action is taken against those who are living in the emirate on expired visas, said officials. Free transportation is being provided to take workers from their accommodation to testing centres.
Residents included
On Saturday, Abu Dhabi authorities announced that the free of cost mass Covid-19 testing campaign will now also cover groups of residents in high-density areas of Abu Dhabi. Previously, the free screenings were only for workers at facilities in the industrial areas.
"As part of the national screening programme, the DoH, in collaboration with Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre and Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (Seha), will expand the free medical and Covid-19 testing campaign to include groups of residents in high-density areas in Abu Dhabi," the Abu Dhabi Government Media Office said.
ismail@khaleejtimes.com