Photographed by Augusta Quaynor for Vogue Arabia
The UAE is proving once again why it has been ranked among the top ten countries in terms of effective and efficient health and safety responses to the virus through the AlHosn UAE smartphone application. As per a new announcement, all residents are recommended to download the application immediately while those who are Covid-19 positive and don’t download it could face fines of AED 10,000.
Together we can fight the COVID-19 pandemic. The more people use Alhosn, the more effective it will be in protecting us, our loved ones and our community. Download it today on the App Store or Google Play. pic.twitter.com/OQ7XFWvd6r
— Al Hosn App (@AlHosnApp) May 14, 2020
Created in collaboration between the Ministry of Health and Prevention, Abu Dhabi Health Authority, and Dubai Health Authority, this Android and iOS-compatible app sharing the name of Abu Dhabi’s most significant historic building is the latest precautionary measure the government is taking to help contain the coronavirus outbreak across the nation. An official one-stop-shop for Covid-19 updates and services throughout the country, AlHosn UAE is a combination of the Stay Home and Trace Covid apps previously released by the Department of Health in efforts to keep residents up-to-date free of cost.
Each individual who registers on the app receives a unique QR code that refreshes every two minutes and allows users to track their personal health status, including receiving Covid-19 test results directly on their phone and at-home quarantine instructions. Using Bluetooth technology, the app also alerts whether a person in close proximity has been in contact with any coronavirus patients if they too have the encrypted app installed, so your Bluetooth feature should be enabled whenever in public.
Even children or elderly residents should have accounts as they can be linked to their caregiver’s phone. Those who end up contracting the virus and failing to download the app while in quarantine are now at risk of an AED 10,000 fine as the government has noticed “reckless behavior from certain individuals, violating instructions” which has “big repercussions,” explained Salem Al Zaabi, acting head of the public prosecution for Emergencies, Crises, and Disasters.
While the data collected on this digital platform remains on the user’s phone for privacy protection, it allows health authorities to identify those at risk of transmission and communicate accordingly to prevent an increase in cases. For this reason, the government is urging all residents to download this national initiative to further protect those interacting at safe distances in public spaces, especially now that lockdown restrictions are gradually lifting as “the more people use ALHOSN, the more effective it will be in protecting us, our loved ones, and our community.”
Although this app is another example that the UAE’s topmost priority is the health and safety of its people, Minister of Health and Prevention Abdul Rahman bin Muhammad Al Owais highlighted the importance of each and every one of us committing and adhering to these collective efforts if AlHosn UAE and the other countless measures are to be successful. “We can contain this virus only if we all act together, each one giving the others protection and peace of mind,” said Al Owais.
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