With the Holidays Coming Up, Should We All Follow the UAE’s Decision to Ban Social Gatherings?
With the holidays and their associated gatherings approaching us, from the UAE National Day to Christmas and New Year’s Eve celebrations, it looks like things will be different this year than from any other year. To combat the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, The National Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA) announced new safety regulations and guidelines that everyone should follow during the end-of-year celebrations.
According to the announcement, private gatherings and parties are not permitted, workplace parties have been canceled, and the exchange of gifts and food will also be prohibited during the upcoming celebrations. Moreover, numbers will be limited to watching fireworks, and special permits will be required for hosting concerts and other live events.
Other countries in the region haven’t announced anything yet, but we definitely are expecting that some will follow in the footsteps of the UAE to tackle the concern of surging numbers during these gatherings and celebrations.
In the same context, Abu Dhabi revealed last week that the celebrations for the 49th UAE National Day will be held without a public audience, with citizens and residents encouraged to celebrate virtually. The main event is a live ‘Seeds of the Union‘ show, which will be broadcast on TV.
“The COVID-19 pandemic required us to approach the official 49th UAE National Day celebrations in a new and ambitious way – one that uses digital visual technology to inspire an audience watching from home,” said Khalfan Al Mazrouei, member of the organizing committee of the Official 49th UAE National Day Celebration.
