COVID-19: PCR test mandatory for all Etihad passengers departing from Abu Dhabi from August 16

Travellers on all Etihad Airways flights to, from and via Abu Dhabi will now be required to furnish a mandatory PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test report, the airline said on Wednesday. Currently, all passengers travelling on Etihad flights to and via Abu Dhabi are required to show a negative COVID-19 PCR test result from a government-approved testing facility. From August 16, this will also apply to all guests departing Abu Dhabi, the statement said. All passengers must take the PCR test within 96 hours prior to their departure and a negative test result certificate must be shown in order to be able to board a flight. Guests departing Pakistan and India must use an Etihad-approved medical facility for the PCR tests. Children under the age of 12 and people with mild-to-severe disabilities are currently exempt from the PCR test requirement. Meanwhile, the Authority for Identity and Citizenship (ICA) and the National Crisis and Emergency Management Authority (NCEMA) have launched the second phase of the UAE Resident Return Programme, which now removes the need for residents of Abu Dhabi to wait for approval to return to the capital from overseas.<br/>