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Abu Dhabi removes UK from green list as Covid-19 cases rise in Britain

Tajikistan has also been removed from the UAE’s green list, while Malta is the only addition to the updated travel list

By Staff writer
Passengers arriving from these destinations will only be required to undergo PCR testing upon arrival at Abu Dhabi Airport

Passengers arriving from these destinations will only be required to undergo PCR testing upon arrival at Abu Dhabi Airport

Abu Dhabi has removed the UK from its green list that allows for quarantine-free entry to the emirate for travellers.

The move comes as Covid-19 cases in the UK are continuing to rise, with the new Delta variant, which was first identified in India, accounting for 90 percent of new cases. The Delta variant is thought to be 60 percent more spreadable than other variants. Restrictions in the UK were set to lift on June 21, but Prime Minister Boris Johnson is likely to delay the move for at least a month.

The UAE also remains on the UK’s red list, meaning that travellers from the emirates have to undergo costly quarantine in a government-approved hotel upon arrival.

Tajikistan has also been removed from the UAE’s green list, while Malta is the only addition to the updated travel list.

Passengers arriving from these destinations will be exempt from mandatory quarantine measures after landing in Abu Dhabi and will only be required to undergo PCR testing upon arrival at Abu Dhabi Airport.

Countries, regions, and territories included on the green list are regularly updated based on international development and inclusion in the list is subject to strict criteria of health and safety to ensure the well-being of the UAE community, a DCT Abu Dhabi statement said.

The list also only applies to countries passengers are arriving from rather than citizenship, it added.

Abu Dhabi has announced it intends to lift quarantine restrictions for global travellers from July 1, and plans are in the works to make the capital’s border with Dubai more “tourist friendly”.

The new system will be similar to the Dubai system, and the PCR protocol will be different from high-risk to low-risk destinations, the spokesperson said.

Abu Dhabi has also introduced a green pass program for its residents to enter shops, malls, gyms, hotels and other facilities that will come into effect June 15.

Here are the countries currently on Abu Dhabi’s green list:

  1. Australia
  2. Azerbaijan
  3. Bhutan
  4. Brunei
  5. China
  6. Cuba
  7. Germany
  8. Greenland
  9. Hong Kong (SAR)
  10. Iceland
  11. Israel
  12. Japan
  13. Kyrgyzstan
  14. Malta
  15. Mauritius
  16. Moldova
  17. Morocco
  18. New Zealand
  19. Portugal
  20. Russia
  21. Saudi Arabia
  22. Singapore
  23. South Korea
  24. Spain
  25. Switzerland
  26. Taiwan, Province of China
  27. USA
  28. Uzbekistan

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