Picture used for illustrative purpose only.

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

Abu Dhabi Emergency, Crisis and Disasters Committee has approved the 'Blue schools' initiative, in which schools will be tiered based on student vaccination rates.

Schools with less than 50 per cent of students vaccinated are put in Orange tier.

Schools with 50-60 per cent of students vaccinated will be placed in ‘Yellow’.

Schools with 65-84 per cent of students vaccinated will be in ‘Green’ tier.

Schools with 85 per cent and above students vaccinated will get the Blue tier.

The new initiative supports all Abu Dhabi schools to relax measures and return to normal operations based on vaccination rates.

The new initiative will be implemented from the second term of the current academic year.

The initiative stresses on the fact that vaccination is the key path to recovery, which will enhance the learning and social experience of students.

Schools with higher vaccination rates will be allowed to gradually relax measures, including reduced social distancing requirements, relaxed mask-wearing protocols.

They wll also be allowed to increase classroom and school transport capacity gradually.

Schools will higher vaccination rates will also return to extra-curricular activities, in-school events and field trips.

Free vaccines are available for children at various vaccination

Abu Dhabi has set centres across Abu Dhabi to provide free vaccines to children, this includes a dedicated children’s vaccination centre at ADNEC.

Pfizer-BioNTech is available for children aged 12 and over, and Sinopharm is available for children aged 3 and over.