Abu Dhabi Emergency, Crisis and Disasters Committee has approved the blue schools initiative, which supports all Abu Dhabi schools to relax measures and return to normal operations based on vaccination rates.

To be implemented from term 2 of the current academic year, the blue schools initiative recognises vaccination as the key path to recovery, re-emphasises transparency, and enhances the learning and social experience of students.

Schools will be tiered based on student vaccination rates. Higher vaccinated schools will be able to gradually relax measures, including reduced social distancing requirements, relaxed mask-wearing protocols, increased classroom and school transport capacity, and a return to extra-curricular activities, in-school events and field trips.

The four tiers are: ‘orange’ for schools with less than 50 per cent of students vaccinated; ‘yellow’ for schools with 50-64 per cent of students vaccinated; ‘green’ for schools with 65-84 per cent of students vaccinated; and ‘blue’ for schools with 85 per cent and above students vaccinated.

Free vaccines are available for children at various vaccination centres across Abu Dhabi, including the 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.