Right steps by UAE to mitigate COVID-19 impact

The UAE leadership has been taking all necessary actions to stem the spread of COVID-19 and ensure the safety of the community and wellbeing of the UAE citizens and residents.

The directive by Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s offering coronavirus COVID-19 free tests for the UAE citizens is yet another major initiative that comes in line with the preventive and precautionary measures taken by the UAE to contain the spread of the virus.

According to a joint statement by the Ministry of Health and Prevention, MOHAP, and the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority NCEMA, Sheikh Mohamed has also ordered free tests to domestic workers.

Other categories include people of determination, pregnant women, residents who are over 60 years old, people with coronavirus symptoms and the contacts of coronavirus patients.

The steps reinforce the importance given by the leadership to protect all sections of society through timely support.

The beauty of the UAE also lies in the strong message that it sends to the world on unity in diversity.

For example, as Burj Khalifa beams bright, securing 1.2 million meals to families and individuals affected by the Covid-19 pandemic one week after the launch of the World’s Tallest Donation Box, the message of unity shines bright too.

Contributions from 110 nationalities illuminated Burj Khalifa’s 1.2 million lights within a week in a message of hope and solidarity to Covid-19-hit communities across the world.

The humanitarian initiative, launched by the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI) in collaboration with Burj Khalifa, secured 1.2 million meals for the ’10 million meals’ campaign to provide food support for low-income families and individuals throughout the Holy Month of Ramadan.

As Muna Alkindi, CEO of MBRGI, pointed out, “Achieving the target of the World’s Tallest Donation Box in record time reflects the solidarity of the UAE’s society, with all its segments coming together to support those in need. The deeply-rooted values of giving, consolidated in society by our wise leadership, set the UAE as a global role model for humanitarian work and social cohesion.”

The UAE again confirms its global status as a beacon of hope through lighting up the façade of the world’s tallest building for a good cause.

On another front, the ‘UAE Volunteers’, a joint community response to COVID-19, has attracted 16,502 field and online volunteers from as many as 126 nationalities since its launch one month ago.

Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and the Chairman of the Higher National Committee for Regulating Volunteering during Crises, has rightly hailed the “unprecedented achievements” made by the campaign in furtherance of the ongoing national efforts to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The national campaign ‘UAE Volunteers’ is the maiden initiative of the Higher National Committee for Volunteering during Crises, and has so far proved its efficiency in underpinning the values of giving and solidarity for all segments of society.

In Sheikh Abdullah’s words: “The impressive participation in the campaign and immense scale of contributions made in only one month after its launch under the current challenging circumstances embody the human values deeply rooted in the UAE since the establishment of the Union, and reflect the prevailing spirit of optimism, especially when we see the participants coming from 126 nationalities, with their numbers hitting 16,502.”