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With the ever-evolving situation of the global pandemic, rules surrounding COVID-19 testing are adapting and changing.
It was recently announced by Dubai-based airline Emirates that there have been changes to testing requirements for UAE residents and tourists arriving into the emirate.

While pre-flight tests for many countries have been dropped, a double testing initiative has been implemented for other countries.
It’s also been confirmed that all tourists from the UK and Germany can be tested upon arrival at Dubai airport.

For the following countries the below rules apply: Algeria, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Belgium, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kirgizstan, Kuwait, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malaysia, Maldives Islands, Mauritius, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Poland, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Seychelles, Singapore, Somalia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States (New York, Washington DC, Boston, Chicago, Seattle).
For UAE residents, they are able to present a negative COVID-19 PCR test which is valid 96 hours before the date of departure or can simply be tested upon arrival into Dubai.
Tourists need to present a negative COVID-19 test which is valid 96 hours before the date of departure. However, those coming from Germany and the UK can opt for a COVID-19 PCR test upon arrival in Dubai.
Those who are transiting passengers from the above countries are not required to present a COVID-19 PCR test certificate unless it is mandated by your final destination.
For the remaining countries the below rules apply: Afghanistan, Angola, Argentina, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Chile, Cote d’lvoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Georgia, Ghana, Greece, Guinea, Hungary, India, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, Morocco, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Senegal, Slovakia, Somaliland, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, United States (California, Florida, Texas), Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Two COVID-19 tests are required for UAE residents – one 96 hours before the departure date and a second upon arrival in Dubai.
Two COVID-19 tests are required for tourists – one 96 hours before the departure date and a second upon arrival in Dubai.
Transiting passengers from these countries must have a negative COVID‑19 PCR test certificate that is valid for 96 hours from the date of the test, as well as any requirements for their final destination.
It should be noted that a PCR test is required and you need to have a printed verification in English or Arabic – SMS or digital versions will not be accepted.
For more details visit the Emirates website.
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Welcome to EW‘s weekly series ‘How I got my job as…’ where we speak to some incredible entrepreneurs and businesswomen both based in the UAE and globally to find out about their career paths led them to where they are now; what their daily routines look like; the advice they’d give to those starting out; and the hurdles they’ve had to overcome.
This week we chat to the co-founders of Dubai’s first biodegradable balloon business, Ineza. Colleagues-turned-friends Geraldine and Zahra decided to harness their corporate backgrounds to go it alone becoming entrepreneurs.

Having worked on events with key luxury brands including Chanel, Cartier, Manolo Blahnik and Gucci, it’s safe to say this pair found a hole in the market in Dubai and have never looked back since they launched nearly a year ago.
What inspired you to launch Ineza?
The short and honest answer to this is motherhood. We have our children to thank for giving us the courage to push beyond our comfort zone. We were both working in the energy sector and ambitious to build successful careers. However, when motherhood arrived bringing with it joy but lots of extra responsibilities, we started to question ourselves on whether our personal and professional goals were aligned – We quickly realised the answer was no.

After reading Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg, we would often joke about going it alone, but were never brave enough to take that next step. With a combined career of 15 years between us in the region, we had gained immense knowledge and experience of marketing and communications of which events was a large component so we were always on the lookout for fresh and new ideas.

Although balloons are not in any way innovative as a concept, we started to notice that Europe, the US and Australia were trailblazing a more sophisticated aesthetic. We noticed that they were now being used in concerts, TV shows, catwalks, top tier members clubs and fine dining establishments. In that moment, we both realised that this was something we hadn’t readily seen in the region in terms of quality or innovation. We spent the next six months researching the market which also included a trip to London to undertake professional training with industry experts. As a result, we took a deep breath and embarked on a journey that has brought us to this juncture.
We were colleagues not once but twice within our careers and we became firm friends – we just felt that some things are just destined. We were resolute that we would pursue our passion for creativity combined with our corporate skillset to create a successful business.
How do you make balloons sustainable and where do you source Biodegradable Latex?
On our journey, we discovered that the balloon industry was evolving in line with global concerns of the environmental need to reduce plastic waste. This was encouraging as it aligned with our ethos to ensure that the brands, we procured were ethically sourced and accredited. We absolutely never compromise on quality as this is paramount to us.
We are mindful that the responsibility falls on us as a business to ensure that we do our utmost to ethically source our products to reduce the environmental impact. One of our key values is sustainability and we practice this through as many channels of our process as possible.
We use high-quality latex balloons which are a natural plant-based product and therefore do not have the same destructive impact on our planet. Latex is a biodegradable substance produced by rubber trees and decomposes at the rate of an oakleaf. The latex is extracted and harnessed without harming or reducing the rubber tree population.
Do they last as long as normal balloons?
External factors are a huge determinant of this. Indoors and in air-conditioned areas they last longer. Of course, with installations left untampered, we have seen them last up to 14 days and in some cases longer. Outdoors if the temperatures are high, they have a significantly shorter life although some have been known to survive more than a few days. We don’t like to guarantee longer than a day as there are many factors at play which determine this. We think most people are pleasantly surprised at their lifespan compared to traditional balloons.
What are the key elements of your role?
As Managing Partners, we manage every element of our business ourselves. Coming from a corporate background we find that we are very structured in our approach. We have divided some areas of expertise, but when it comes to the creative output both of us are equally invested. One of the key elements of our practice is to actively pursue business development by building on existing relationships and acquiring new business. A lot of our commissions have come from happy client recommendations and we continuously work on providing our clients with the best experience and product – We care passionately about our business and continuously seek client feedback to gauge their satisfaction and improve our offering.
Talk us through your daily routine.
As a start-up, every day is very different and no two days are the same. However, one part of our routine that remains the same is the school run! As mothers, our children keep us grounded to the realities of everyday life – we wouldn’t change that for the world.
Our mornings then start like any other working day. We meet and discuss prospective, pipeline and completed projects. We divide our day on working on creative briefs we receive from clients and developing pitches, servicing our clients on the projects in hand – actively engaging and updating them on the phase of their individual projects and finally reconciling completed projected.
We also allocate time for client and vendor meetings that we undertake most days of the week.
In short, it’s fluid but productive. Some days are harder than others – but we’ve given birth so there is very little than can phase us!
When onsite on an installation, we are pretty fuelled with adrenaline but it takes one split second “wow” that makes it so rewarding.

What advice do you have for anyone looking to follow in the same footsteps?
Firstly, as women – we need to equip ourselves with self-belief that no matter what you don’t have to accept the status quo. If you want to do something different, try it and go for it. At worst you will fail, but we promise you in the early days those small wins will fuel you and before you know it, like us you’ll be a year into it and look back at how far you’ve come.
In a partnership – make your vows count! It’s like having another spouse. Not every friend is one you can embark on a business with. You need one that, like a marriage, you can be tested on at every level and come out the other end still laughing about it. You can agree to disagree, hold each other together through the lows and celebrate in the highs. The key is transparency and to know you have a partnership through it all.
As a business, find something you love, research the hell out of it and pilot it.
What is the best piece of advice you ever received?
Stay in your lane and just keep ploughing forward. Don’t look at what others are doing.
You need to let your work speak for itself.
What has been the biggest challenge you had to overcome?
Launching a few months before the pandemic. We had confirmed corporate clients within our first quarter which was phenomenal. We started on such a high that we couldn’t believe how much positive sentiment was behind us and our work. As soon as the seriousness of the situation became apparent, we lost the work we had pitched so hard for. We took time to regroup and understand the situation and pivoted into the B2C space which initially wasn’t our core Business focus. The silver lining was that it was met with huge popularity with some collections selling out and now have become a revenue stream on our digital platform. As the lockdown came to an end and we embarked on the last quarter of the year, work we feared we had lost has now been rescheduled before the end of the year.
– For more on luxury lifestyle, news, fashion and beauty follow Emirates Woman on Facebook and Instagram
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Nancy Ajram is stirring up some raw emotions with her new song which is a direct message to the people of Beirut.
Titled Illa Beirut Al Ontha which means ‘To The Female, Beirut’ in English, the track is about the heartbreak the people of the Lebanese capital go through when family members and loved ones leave the city.

The song is actually based on a poem titled To Beirut the Female, With An Apology, which was written by Nizar Qabbani in 1981. It details a woman’s journey in Beirut, and poses the question as to why someone would ever leave.
While Ajram released the song around two weeks ago, she just dropped the music video which has given the song an even more emotional meaning behind it.

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In the video, a young Lebanese man is seen having a last supper with his family before leaving Beirut, and shows how heartbroken his mother is by his departure.
The message in the song is particularly poignant right now given everything going on Beirut in the wake of the devastating blast and amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, the song by the Lebanese singer did end on a hopeful and positive note.
“For everyone and everything that is forcing us to leave… we will return,” she says.
 – For more on luxury lifestyle, news, fashion and beauty follow Emirates Woman on Facebook and Instagram
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Mere days before the Dubai Fitness Challenge 2020 is set to start, HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Crown Prince of Dubai, issued a direct message to the public.
“My challenge to you.. 30 minutes of activity for 30 days wherever you are.. whenever you can.. make a change…,” His Highness said, also encouraging everyone to take part in the challenge which will run from October to November 28.

Along with the Crown Prince of Dubai’s statement, he shared a motivational video encouraging people to take part in physical activity every day.

My challenge to you.. 30 minutes of activity for 30 days wherever you are.. whenever you can.. make a change… take the challenge from 30 Oct – 28 Nov 2020 pic.twitter.com/6yOupzibHK
— Hamdan bin Mohammed (@HamdanMohammed) October 25, 2020

Last week, Sheikh Hamdan issued a statement of a similar sentiment, announcing he wants to make the UAE “the most active country in the world”.
“The return of Dubai Fitness Challenge is a testament to the emirate’s resilience and its commitment to rebuild a stronger and happier society by embracing the benefits of fitness and wellness habits,” he said. “When we create the right habits and make them a part of our lives, we have the opportunity to truly transform ourselves.”
“Dubai is a city that recognises the importance of physical, mental and social well-being, and constantly strives to provide everyone opportunities for an active lifestyle,” Sheikh Hamdan continued. “All it takes for you to succeed is an unyielding pledge to enjoy 30 minutes of activity for 30 days.
“I challenge each and every one of you to embrace your fitness journey and make a difference in your life. Together, let’s make the UAE the most active country in the world.”
This year marks the fourth edition of the DFC and aims to encourage those who live in Dubai, and beyond, to pursue an active lifestyle.
– For more on luxury lifestyle, news, fashion and beauty follow Emirates Woman on Facebook and Instagram
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It’s official: this week will be a four-day week and a three-day weekend.
It has been announced by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation that this Thursday will be an official public holiday for all private sector employees to mark Prophet Mohammed’s birthday.

Last week, the Federal Authority for Government and Human Resources announced Thursday, October 29 was an official public holiday for public sector employees.

تعلن #وزارة_الموارد_البشرية_والتوطين عن أن يوم 29 أكتوبر القادم سيكون عطلة رسمية مدفوعة الأجر لجميع العاملين في منشآت وشركات القطاع الخاص في الدولة بمناسبة المولد النبوي الشريف. كل عام وأنتم بخير #الامارات #حكومة_الإمارات pic.twitter.com/kvlckx7sPL
— MOHRE_UAE وزارة الموارد البشرية والتوطين (@MOHRE_UAE) October 25, 2020

This means a day off on Thursday, with employees returning to work on Sunday, November 1.
Remaining public holidays for 2021
Commemoration Day
Commemoration Day honours the Emiratis who have sacrificed their lives to protect their country. On December 1, 2020, which falls on a Tuesday, there will be a day off, which is followed by UAE National Day (see below).
UAE National Day
Celebrating the unification of the seven emirates, there will two days off for UAE National Day on Wednesday, December 2 and Thursday, December 3. Combining these days off with Commemoration Day, this will mean a five-day weekend at the beginning of the final month of the year.
 – For more on luxury lifestyle, news, fashion and beauty follow Emirates Woman on Facebook and Instagram
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As we head into the peak weather season for Dubai, a safety reminder has been issued by Dubai Police.
The optimum weather to enjoy Dubai’s beaches has arrived which usually entails crowds flocking to the sea, but the public has been warned to follow the implemented COVID-19 guidelines.

Taking to their official Twitter page, Dubai Police released a ‘Safety on the shores of Dubai’ video outlining the rules in place.

لأن سلامتكم تهمنا، نرجوا منكم اتباع الإجراءات الاحترازية عند ارتياد شواطئ إمارة #دبي الواردة في الفيديو أعلاه.تعاونوا معنا لنضمن سلامتكم.#نلتزم_لننتصر#الجميع_مسؤول pic.twitter.com/hHfAexekLT
— Dubai Policeشرطة دبي (@DubaiPoliceHQ) October 24, 2020

The rules are as follows: make sure you wear a mask unless you’re in the water; keep your distance from others; and ensure you’re in a group of no more than five people.
There was also a warning that fines would be implemented if anyone was found to have violated the above guidelines.
Public beaches in Dubai reopened at the end of May after being closed for a couple of months due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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