UAE’s bold initiatives to contain coronavirus

UAE’s bold initiatives to contain coronavirus

No new visas will be issued from March 17.. The UAE has announced a slew of preventive measures, including suspending issuance of visas, suspension of all events and weddings, closing down of entertainment centres, cultural sites and cinema halls, to prevent the spread of coronavirus.. In a statement released on Saturday, the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship (ICA) said that effective from March 17, the UAE has suspended all visas to all foreigners, with the exception of diplomatic passport holders.. "The move comes as part of the precautionary measures taken by the UAE in response to the World Health Organisation's declaration of Covid-19 as a pandemic," said the authority.. The decision does not apply to those who already have their visas issued prior to the aforementioned date.. The ICA noted that the additional precautionary decision will be valid until a mechanism for medical examination has been established in the countries of departure as part of other global measures to curb the proliferation of the novel coronavirus.. The Dubai Media Office tweeted that the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing has instructed all hotels, entertainment destinations and wedding halls to cancel all scheduled events from March 15.. The Department of