A Guide For Dubai Government Employees

First issue – January 2021

On how to deal with COVID cases, contact cases and those returning from their travels

-19

GeneralInformation

Preventive measures for employees.

What are the symptoms of COVID-19?

What to do in case of any symptoms?

Shortness and difficulty in breathing

Headache

Loss of the sense of smell and taste

NauseaDiarrhea

CoughingFever equal to or higher than 37.5˚C

Pain in the body

A person can be infected with COVID-19 but have no symptoms

What are the symptoms of COVID-19?

Sore throat Runny nose

If there are any symptoms, it is

advisable NOT to go to the workplace

Wash your hands with soap and water

regularly for at least 20 seconds or if that’s not possible use a sanitizer

Disinfect surfaces regularly

Do NOT share your personal items with

your colleagues

Maintain a physical distance of no less

than 2 meters

Wear a mask correctly and wear it ALL the time

2m

Preventive measures for employees

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The doctor will evaluate your health condition to asses if you need to undergo a PCR test.

Do not go to work if you have any symptoms. If symptoms appear while you're at work, immediately leave after informing your direct manager and HR department.

What to do in case of any symptoms?

Call the DHA toll-free number 800 342 to make an appointment for a medical consultation.

In the event of a negative PCR test result, you will receive a sick leave certificate along with the examination result

In the event that the PCR test is not performed, obtain a certificate of attendance and present it to your HR department. Do not go to work until your symptoms subside.

The employee should work from home if their nature of work permits it or provide a sick leave. If they do not qualify for a sick leave based on their HR’s requirements, then the quarantine period will be taken from the annual leave balance. If they have exhausted their annual leave, it will be considered as leave without pay.

What to do in case of any symptoms?

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Procedures that the organization must follow if they have a positive case.

COVID-19 patient journey.

Who is a COVID-19 confirmed case?

Things that employees must do if they recieve a positive COVID-19 result.

In the event of a COVID-19 infection

Who is a COVID-19 confirmed case?

A person with a positive PCR test result for COVID-19, irrespective of clinical symptoms, is considered to be a confirmed case. It is important to note that the result should be from an approved medical facility.

02DHA will contact and inform you about the necessary procedures OR the patient can call the DHA toll-free number 800 342.

01Isolate yourself immediately in a separate room after getting your positive PCR result and immediately inform your direct manager and HR department.

03 Install the COVID-19 DXB App and follow the required steps.

04If the confirmed case begins to develop any symptoms, he can call the DHA toll-free number 800 342 or use the DHA app to book a medical consultation.

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If you do not have any symptoms, you still have to complete the 10-day home or institutional isolation. You don't have to undergo another PCR test once the isolation period is complete and your isolation period will be considered as sick leave.

COVID-19 patients can obtain a clearance certificate by calling 800 342or through the COVID-19 DXB App

COVID-19 patient journey

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if they recieve a positive COVID-19 result

Things that the employee must do

Inform your direct manager and HR department of the positive PCR test.

Obtain an isolation completion certificate.

Obtain proof of a COVID-19 PCR positive test from an accredited laboratory in the UAE.

Provide the isolation completion certificate and sick leave based on your HR department's approved procedures.

must take if they have a positive case

Contact the Dubai Health Authority on their toll-free

number 800 342.

Procedures that the organization

Inform the employees who were in contact with the infected person to remain in quarantine for a period of 10 days from their last contact with the infected person, if they get any

symptoms they should get a PCR test .

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The journey of employees who are returning from abroad

Close contact with a confirmed case within the workplace

Close contact with a confirmed case outside the workplace

Quarantine

Who is a COVID-19 close contact?

Close contacts' journey

Close contacts

Less than 2m

minutes 15

Who is a COVID-19 close contact?

A close contact is any individual who has spent time with a confirmed COVID-19 case, whether it was two days before the symptoms appeared or since the person has received the positive result or any time during the 10 days of infection.

The journey of close contacts

02DHA will contact and inform the close contact of the necessary procedures OR the close contact can call DHA on the toll-free number 800 342.

01The close contact needs to directly quarantine in a separate room for 10 days and follow precautionary measures to ensure the safety of others.

03The quarantine period is 10 days and there is no need to undergo a PCR test if there are no symptoms.

04If ANY symptoms appear during the quarantine period, call 800 342 to book a PCR test appointment.

05If the test result is positive, you will be contacted for isolation procedures. If the test result is negative, you must complete the 10-day quarantine period.

Close contacts can obtain an “End of Quarantine Certificate” by calling 800 342or through the COVID-19 DXB App

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Quarantine

It is restricting the movement of a close contact to a positive case for 10 days (the incubation period) starting from the date of last contact with a confirmed positive case to ensure their safety and to prevent spreading of the infection to them and others.

What does quarantine mean?

Quarantine starts from the date of last contact with a confirmed positive case for 10 days.

When does the quarantine period start?

Home Quarantine:It takes place at the person’s residence, after making sure that

the conditions for home quarantine are met.

Institutional quarantine: It is a quarantine-dedicated medical facility for close contacts

who cannot meet the conditions of home quarantine. During

their stay at the facility, close contacts will receive all the care

and monitoring needed while they quarantine

What are the types of quarantine?

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with a confirmed case outside the workplace:

The close contact employee must abide by all the precautionary measures approved by authorities to prevent becoming a close contact again. The first time, the quarantine period will be deducted as an emergency leave or will be considered as work from home, depending on the nature of the employee’s job. If the employee gets in close contact with a COVID-19 case again, the quarantine period will be deducted from his/her annual leave. If the employee does not have any annual leave credit, it will be considered as leave without pay.

Return to work after the completion of the required 10-day quarantine starting from the date of last contact with a confirmed positive case, given that you don't have any symptoms.

The employee must bring proof of his or her close contact with a COVID-19 infected case.

Close contact

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The close contact employee must abide by all the precautionary measures approved by authorities to prevent becoming a close contact again. The first time, the quarantine period will be deducted as an emergency leave or will be considered as work from home, depending on the nature of the employee’s job. If the employee gets in close contact with a COVID-19 case again, the quarantine period will be deducted from his/her annual leave. If the employee does not have any annual leave credit, it will be considered as leave without pay.

with a confirmed casewithin the workplace:

The employee should submit the leave period based on their work place's approved procedures.

The close contacts must remain in quarantine for 10 days from the date of last contact with a confirmed positive case.

The organization will inform employees that they were in close contact with a positive case.

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Close contact

If the result is positive, the required procedures mentioned in this guide for positive cases must be followed.

If the result is negative, the employee can return to work the next day. However, if the Emirate he is returning to requires mandatory quarantine, then the employee must abide by the rule. The quarantine period will be deducted from the employee’s annual leave. If they do not have any annual leave days left, it will be considered as leave without pay. As for employees who are capable of working from home, their direct manager can assign them tasks during the quarantine period.

Employees must home quarantine until they receive their COVID-19 results. The quarantine period will be deducted from the employee’s annual leave, if they do not have any annual leave days left, it will be considered as leave without pay. As for employees who are capable of working from home, their direct manager can assign them tasks during the quarantine period.

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Journey of employees returning from abroad

What is the required quarantine/isolation period for COVID-19 positive cases, close contacts and those who are returning from abroad?

Confirmed COVID-19 cases:They should isolate until they fully recover.

Close contact cases:The 10-day quarantine period begins from the last day of contact with the confirmed case after the positive result.

Employees returning from abroad:They must quarantine until they obtain the test result or in accordance with the quarantine procedures of the Emirate they are returning to.

Common questions

What is the difference between an attendance certificate, sick leave and end of quarantine certificate?

Attendance certificate:Is a certificate provided by a health facility, which proves that the employee visited the facility because he is experiencing symptoms or other health issues. This certificate can be submitted to the HR department if the visit was made during official working hours.

Sick leave:Is a document issued by an official medical facility in accordance with the provisions of Dubai Government's Human Resources Management Law No. (8) of 2018 for granting sick leave certificates with set durations based on the employee’s illness.

End of isolation certificate:A document given to the employee by a health facility stating the completion of their isolation period.

Common questions

If an employee was in close contact with a confirmed COVID-19 case, he cannot return to work before completing 10-days in home quarantine without experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms.

If the employee was in close contact with a confirmed case but his PCR test came out negative, does he have to come directly to work or does he have to follow another procedure?

Common questions

The employee must go to the hospital if they are experiencing flu symptoms. The doctor will determine what tests should be done based on the employee’s condition.

Does the employee have to do a PCR test to prove that they are free of COVID-19?

Common questions

There is no difference between the two. The quarantine period will be considered emergency leave the first time, if the employee becomes a close contact again, it will be taken from his/her annual leave, if they don’t have leave days left, it will be considered leave without pay.

Is there a difference between the approved leave granted for those who were in close contact with confirmed cases at work and those who were in close contact outside work?

Common questions

Yes, if their tasks can be performed remotely, and their health condition permits it.

Can the employer assign an employee with tasks to complete remotely from home if they are home quarantining with symptoms or without or if they are on sick leave?

Common questions

The employee should work from home if his/hernature of work permits it, if not, then the quarantine period will be taken from their annual leave balance. If they have exhausted their annual leave, it will be considered as leave without pay.

If an employee returns from abroad through one of the emirates that is implementing mandatory quarantine procedures, how will the quarantine period be counted from the employee’s leave balance?

Common questions

No, the employee should not do a PCR test.He/she should only get tested if they start experiencing symptoms.

Does the employee have to do a PCR test if it was proven that he/she was in contact with a confirmed case?

Common questions

The employee doesn’t have to take a PCR test if they completed the 10-day quarantine period from the last day they were in contact with the confirmed case, given that they did not experience any symptom

Does the employee who was in close contact with a confirmed COVID-19 case have to take a PCR test after completing the quarantine period to make sure that he/she is virus free?

Common questions

Common questions

What should employees do if they were in contact with a close contact case but were not contacted by the Dubai Health Authority?

The employee must call the DHA toll-free number 800 342 and the DHA public health team will carry out the necessary procedures. The employee must also immediately inform his/her employer.