Seven new drive-through screening centres opened in UAE

Our Correspondent

Seven new drive-through COVID-19 screening centres have opened across the UAE, two of them in Dubai.

“During the first phase, the service will be provided at screening centres in Zayed Sports City and Corniche in Abu Dhabi, Al Hili in Al Ain, and at the National Screening Centres in Mina Rashed, Al Khawaneej, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah,” the Abu Dhabi Health Services Company, SEHA, said in a statement. Rashid Port and Khawaneej areas are in Dubai.

SEHA’s Ambulatory Healthcare Services announced on August 11 that a laser-based DPI testing (blood test) will be conducted at selected drive-through screening centres for people wanting to enter or renter Abu Dhabi. They have to book an appointment via the SEHA app on phone and pay AED50, and can get tested from the comfort of their own cars at the centres.

A small blood sample is collected and the result will appear in minutes. If the test result shows that no swab is needed, the customer will get an SMS and he/she can enter Abu Dhabi within 48 hours from the test result.

However, SEHA added, that if the test result shows that a nose swab is required, it will be done right away and the customer will need to isolate himself until the result is out.

The drive-through screening centres in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain will operate Saturday to Thursday from 8 am-8 pm, while the Northern Emirates locations will be open seven days a week from 10 am- 8 pm.

Meanwhile, the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention reported 262 new cases of the Covid-19 and 195 recoveries, on August 11. One death was reported. MoHAP added that the number of new Covid-19 tests performed was 64,110.