The UAE leadership has taken all the right and effective measures to bring the challenging situation caused by COVID-19 under control and now it is in the hands of the public to act responsibly and reasonably and see to it that things do not go out of control.

Each and every individual has a role to play.

A mistake by one person can affect not only him or her but the entire society. Shirking of responsibility even by a single individual could prove expensive.

Highlighting the seriousness of the situation, more than 10.3 million people have been infected by the novel coronavirus globally and 504,269 have died, according to a Reuters tally. Infections have been reported in more than 210 countries and territories since the first cases were identified in China in December 2019.  

By announcing that mosques, prayer spaces, and other places of worship will gradually reopen nationwide from July 1 and operate at 30 per cent capacity, the UAE officials have taken a bold initiative and entrusted the public with responsible behaviour.

As stated by Amna Al Dahak Al Shamsi, official spokesperson of the UAE Government, all UAE departments and institutions are forging ahead with all measures needed to ensure a safe return to normalcy across all fields.

However, we are in a critical period that requires enhanced awareness and increased cooperation from all community members.

The reopening of places of worship is a major step and has been made possible due to the tremendous efforts made by all relevant departments who initiated the COVID-19 testing of all mosque imams and workers in places of worship. Friday prayers will remain suspended in all mosques until further notice and therefore mosques will remain closed on Fridays only.

The public should comply with precautionary and preventive measures as suggested by officials while coming for prayers, including adhering to a minimum 3-metre safety distance between worshippers, and avoid congregations and handshaking in all forms.

UAE’s benevolence knows no borders.

The UAE’s commitment to strengthening international cooperation could be gauged by the fact that the country has assisted more than 1 million medical workers worldwide through the supply of over 1,000 tonnes of personal protective equipment, PPE, and medical and food aid in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Since its founding, the UAE has pursued bonds of friendly cooperation and solidarity with other countries, believing that nations must set aside their differences in favour of unity and the greater good of humankind, as pointed out by Reem Bint Ibrahim Al Hashemy, Minister of State for International Cooperation.

The milestone of assisting 1 million healthcare workers affirms the UAE’s commitment to extending a hand of cooperation to the world, regardless of the religion, race, or ideology of recipients.

As the most active provider of foreign COVID-19 assistance in the world, the UAE has ensured that the geographical breadth of its aid knows no filters of race or religion, providing assistance in times of need to 70 countries, including China, Italy, the United Kingdom, Iran, Pakistan, Brazil, Russia, Yemen, and Afghanistan, among others.

In the sensible words of Al Shamsi: “Despite the successes that have been made, the current situation is beset with challenges; as the novel coronavirus is evidently capable of spreading, which means that the failure to ensure physical distancing and adhering to other precautionary measures, especially in public areas, may result in negative consequences for individuals and wider society.”