Abu Dhabi tops new ranking of 25 cities based on COVID-19 response

Abu Dhabi tops new ranking of 25 cities based on COVID-19 response

Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi has topped a list of 25 leading cities for their response to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was revealed on Tuesday. Issued by London-based analytics consortium Deep Knowledge Group (DKG), the ranking is based on 50 parameters across five categories, including health care and economy. The ranking demonstrates the wide-ranging impact of the emirate's response to the pandemic. Abu Dhabi has led the world through its rapid and robust response system, protecting the health and safety of the community with proactive and stringent precautionary measures, while supporting the economy with stimulus packages that provided critical assistance to all sectors of the local economy. Abu Dhabi was followed by Seoul, Sydney, Singapore, Ottawa and Berlin. Abu Dhabi's robust response to the pandemic has ensured the city has maintained a low rate of positive cases, while adapting and scaling up health-care provisions to protect every member of the society. Within weeks, field hospitals, mass testing centres and screening facilities, including drive-through facilities, were established. New initiatives prioritised vulnerable groups, including providing free testing and health checks, distributing millions of free meals, providing health awareness programmes in multiple languages and mental health support. The city has led research and development,