Unvaccinated students over 16 must still take a PCR test every seven days

The Covid-19 PCR test requirements for students below 16 years of age has been relaxed in Abu Dhabi.

In a circular to parents, Abu Dhabi’s private and charter schools announced extending the validity of a negative PCR test result from 14 days to 28 days for those students below 16 years.

However, pupils aged 16 and above must maintain a 14-day test validity for in-person learning.

Also, students above 16 years who are still unvaccinated or exempted must take a PCR test every seven days.

Earlier this month, the Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (Adek) announced that six more schools received the blue tier status, i.e., achieved a vaccination rate of more than 85 per cent of the students physically attending school.

According to Adek, from January 2022, the ‘Blue Schools’ initiative has seen a successful increase in vaccination rates with 4 per cent of Abu Dhabi private and charter schools currently in the blue tier category, 8.8 per cent in the green tier, 19.8 per cent in the yellow tier and 67.4 per cent in the orange tier.