We almost couldn't believe the news from the latest Government Media Briefing last night - but finally it is true... NO MORE PCR REQUIREMENT! NO MORE GREEN AL HOSN NEEDED! HALLELUJAH!!!!!
Finally, after two years and nine months, yes, take that in: TWO YEARS AND NINE MONTHS! We are finally back to normal! Finally! Finally! Finally!
No masks, no need to show anything to enter anywhere, no more PCRs!
I am seriously hoping this is the last time I'm tagging a post with 'Coronapocalypse'...
So apart from the big media briefing last Monday with the happy news that mask restrictions are no more, there was also another change done earlier in the month, removing the requirement for the kids to have a green Al Hosn to attend school. In practice, this means that entering school in the morning is a bit of a quicker process finally. But it also means that the PCR-tests are not free for school children anymore; and they still need take them, at least if they want to enter anywhere else than school...
It was also announced in the briefing that the government will no longer publish the daily number of Covid cases, so maybe this is my last monthly report, even if we are not 100% back to normal just yet.
I am so so glad that I have been writing so much about this whole Coronapocalypse throughout these 2,5 years, as some of it already seems so long ago, and like it was all just a bad dream. I'm really hoping we are only going forward from now on.
Here are today's numbers (which you can go find still on the NCEMA website):
* 431 new cases from 170,741 tests
* No deaths. Total death toll 2345.
So, there was a big media briefing on Monday which finally
brought some long expected changes in the Covid-restrictions here in the
UAE. Finally! Finally! Finally!
From today, the quarantine time if you test positive
is brought short to five days and if you only are close contact you don't need
to quarantine; but most importantly:
NO. MORE. MASKS. Yaaaaayyyyy!
Well,
unless you work in the health sector or the F&B sector or use
public transport. You also need to still wear a mask when visiting
medical facilities or places of worship. So we are not completely back to normal, just yet.
Still, I'm so happy, especially for Linnea and all the rest of the school kids who will now be able to see each others faces and share smiles, for the first time in over TWO AND A HALF YEARS!
And I have to dig out some lipstick now, for when I go to work next! Ooohh!
Unfortunately the PCR-tests
didn't get removed, the validity just got extended to 30 days. It
doesn't matter much for our daily life here, but it sure matters for
tourists. Many are those who decide to go to another destination for their holiday,
instead of mucking around with those tests just to come here.
Ah well, at least "The Loosening" as they have labeled this process, have now started. Hopefully the removal of the PCR-requirement will follow soon too.
It is so so depressing to get back, for the third summer in a row now, to restrictions and masks. This time more than before, as it feels like Abu Dhabi is the only place that still demands fortnightly PCR-tests together with mandated mask wear (indoors). I certainly hope that the rules will change here too soon, with the new tourist season just around the corner - otherwise it will be another slow one for sure.
In good news, the day we left for summer holidays, UAE had 1778 new cases, and we are now down to only 481. The curve is pointing the right way for sure!
Covid, covid, covid... It's weird to write about Covid while in Sweden, where the attitude towards it is so UTTERLY different than back home in the UAE. All restrictions are gone since a long time here; if you catch it, you are recommended to do the same as what you would do if you caught any other cold or flu. It's so good to see that life goes on!
Yes, another month, another status report. While it seems like since months already that the pandemic is considered "over" in most parts of the world; I'm thinking that as long as there are quite limiting restrictions in Abu Dhabi (regular PCR-test requirements, mandatory mask wear), I'll continue my reports. Every month I hope it'll change, but no luck there.
How I wish I had some good news soon in one of these updates... but helas, nothing really has changed this last month. I am so over the masks and the PCR testings, like most people I believe. I fail to see what use they are by now really.
New cases have been between 300-400 all month pretty much, so nothing happening there. And no change in restrictions at all this month.
Today's UAE numbers:
* 442 new cases, from 231,962 tests.
* No new deaths (there was 3 deaths in the whole month of May), total death toll 2305.
* 6152 new daily doses of vaccine.
Oh yes, another month with another Covid-report. It feels like we will be some restrictions are here forever... like masks indoors... aaarggghhh.
Not much have changed lately, biggest news came this past Friday when it was announced that all commercial activities now can go back to 100% operating capacity, and the Green Pass validity period is extended from 14 to 30 days.
Of course, it's a good thing not having to take a PCR every 14 days; but you could wonder why bother with them at all at this stage? From a tourism point of view, all it does is deter visitors from coming to Abu Dhabi. Instead they will choose to travel to places without costly PCR-requirements, i.e the other six emirates, or even most other countries at the moment. Ah well, I guess the season is over for now anyway. Hopefully come September, things will have changed, even here. Fingers crossed!
In positive news, today NZ is opening up again for travelers from more than 50 countries by dropping most of their remaining pandemic border restrictions. Whoop-whoop!
It's not really something worth celebrating obviously, it's more a remark that on the 11th of March it was two years since the WHO declaring Covid-19 a pandemic.
In a way I'm glad we didn't know back then, how long this was going to be, that we had two years (plus!) of restrictions ahead of us.
Here are today's Covid numbers here in the UAE:
* 288 new cases, from 295,915 tests.
* Only 1 person died from Covid in the month of March, total death toll 2302.
* 98.29% of the population is fully vaccinated.
I thought today, I would also mention a few numbers from a wider perspective. For example:
* 6 143 000+ people have died from Covid-19 worldwide
* 18 365 people have died in Sweden - compared to the 2302 that have died (to date) here in the UAE
*
488 500 000+ people have been reported to have had Covid-19 so far, but
since many countries (Sweden included f.e) are not testing any more,
this number in reality is much, much higher.
There hasn't been a lot of change in restrictions here the past month, other than small things. We still need to test every 14 days to keep our Al Hosn status green, which we need to enter our work places, schools, malls, restaurants etc; and wear masks inside. These are the things that affect us most in our day-to-day life.
I am not moving around all that much outside, but when I do, I sure enjoy not having to wear the face mask anymore. I see a lot of other people that still do, and since it's now optional - each to their own.
I understand that some might still have worries, and it does feel a little bit weird after having worn them everywhere for the past two years - but it sure was time.
I really, really, really enjoy seeing peoples faces and sharing smiles with all the people I meet! I probably come across slightly like a crazy person - but everyone gets a smile! I feel like Oprah in the famous - "YOU get a car, YOU get a car!"-clip, ha ha!
I purposely choose now to focus on all the positive changes we are seeing here. Tourism has really picked up, and personally for me this means I have finally been getting a LOT of work (and trust me, I am not complaining, quite the opposite!) - I LOVE IT! The optimism is finally back, that this might be it, this might actually be the beginning of the return to normal!
Whatever this new normal is going to be, it will have to be better than the Coronapocalypse we have just been through. Bring it!
I wonder how long I will be writing these updates? Sure, they are "only" monthly at the moment, but still? We are two years into this now. Two. Years.
This might be one of the happier updates though, as finally some restrictions have started to let up!
As I write this we are just about to end another week, and luckily the weekend shaped up rather nice, after a totally miserable week; with a visit to the Expo2020 yesterday (more about that in the next post) and a rather nice trip to the mall with Linnea today. I also played padel Monday and Friday morning. Luckily. Otherwise I wouldn't have left the house at all this week. I have been so miserable. Bored out of my tree. Bored of myself.
Bored of my life.
Bored of LIFE even! Covid. Covid. Covid. It's still all about Covid. So sick of it.
We were supposed to have Game Night this week but had to cancel, as the host had one of their kids home due to close contact. I was supposed to go for a walk with Linda one morning in a new area here in town, but then she had to cancel as one of her kids got sent home being close contact. The whole family was supposed to go for dinner to catch up with some Brunei-friends, but that too had to be canceled, as one of them tested positive that same morning. Aaarrgghh... It is really NEVER-ENDING!
Worst thing is I am really starting to feel toxic. I am avoiding people as not to poison them with my fowl mood and depressive state of mind. I have a really hard time looking at the bright side and enjoying the little things at the moment, a really hard time. This past week sucked big time, it was a long time low-mark.
Next week is looking better, on paper at least - as long as Covid doesn't get in the way then too. Fingers crossed!
We are two weeks into the new term, and have ended what should have been the home schooling start. But helas, and to NO surprise at all, home schooling has been extended another week. Well, in a way it was surprising actually, because of the wording in a survey that came out to all school parents this week, everyone thought the announcement was going to be until the end of the month. Maybe they are just trying to give us hope by extending one week at a time... Sigh.
This week for me has been a real roller coaster mood wise. I am super happy living life when things are happening, had a great Game Night Monday night, a lovely lunch date Tuesday, passed my yearly renewal exam for the Louvre Abu Dhabi and worked on Wednesday; and yesterday went for a few drinks to celebrate one of our friends' birthday.
But in between that, I'm mostly laying on the sofa or on the bed, waiting, staring out the window, contemplating this lock down feeling, making time pass - wasting life. Blergh.
Another post without photos, as nothing really has been going on this week... which by the way feels never-ending! We still have a whole day left now with the "new" week! Sure Fridays are only half days as school finish at 12pm, but that still means we have another early morning before it's time for TGIF.
I haven't worked all week. Omicron has certainly affected society here, just as everywhere, and it feels like everything has slowed down again. So I sit here at home, prepare for future tours and keep up with the studying for my Uni-courses. But it's rather lonely and boring, I certainly suffer from feeling completely underwhelmed at the moment. Since the kids have been home as well doing school via e-learning, it feels like we are back in lockdown again, where the only different thing each day is what we are having for dinner.
Even the weather is grey. Ever since New Year we have had quite funny January weather, with both rain, wind, chills and grey skies.
Not that I mind, suits the general mood. Blergh.
Oh my - Happy New Year... or something...
We will be watching the fireworks from our balcony, like so many other times, so this photo below is from an earlier firework show.
I saw a quote earlier today that I personally will try to remember and hold on to for more optimism and less anxiousness in the year to come:
"Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength" (Corrie ten Boom)
I would like to wish you all a Happy New Year!
Let's hope for a 2022 full of life, love and laughter! ❤️
I am so so so over all this Covid-malarkey. So over it. Over the spike in cases. Over Omicron. Over the déjà-vu feeling. Over the restrictions. Over the masks. Just over it all.
I feel so hugely disappointed, and above all sad still about yesterdays news. I can also feel all I'm becoming increasingly worried and anxious, and I don't want to do anything. Just hibernate, until it's all over.
I feel a bit like Ferdinand the Bull: "I like it better here where I can sit just quietly and smell the flowers". Yup, I like it best on my own, in my own house.
Maybe I should also get myself some flowers to smell.
These holidays are starting to feel just like last year, with changes in restrictions happening almost daily in reaction to increased spread. Yesterday the dreaded, but not surprising, news about the school start came - Abu Dhabi have decided to start next term remotely with two weeks of e-learning.
Argh!!!
Only Abu Dhabi. Not Dubai, or the other emirates.
I am very much all for the "rather safe than sorry"-approach, but I don't agree that schools should be the first things to shut, again, all while life goes on everywhere else. The F1 and the Mubadala Tennis Championships still happened; there was no cancellations of National Day Celebrations or Christmas Brunches. Expo is open, as are all the tourist attractions and Abu Dhabi is still planning for world record breaking fireworks for New Years Eve... but the poor school kids are the ones having to make sacrifices and get their lives disrupted the most.
Like with every Social Media, you have to remember they never show the whole story, it's always a bit "filtered", in one way or another. Especially this year, I have tried to keep Instagram a happy place, I felt that was needed. My #TopNine posts from Instagram this year showcases what matters the most - family, and the things and life celebrations that that take place - pandemic or no pandemic.
