Abu Dhabi Airports launches the region’s first PCR testing laboratory located within an Airport

Abu Dhabi, UAE – 9 March 2021: Abu Dhabi Airports, in partnership with Pure Health and Tamouh Healthcare, has launched the region’s first PCR testing laboratory within an airport. The new state of the art RT-PCR lab offers fast COVID-19 testing within the Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH) to facilitate the resumption of air travel and assist with quarantine tracking procedures.

Designed to ensure the health, safety, and wellbeing of travellers and staff at Abu Dhabi International Airport, the new Real Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) testing process is free for arriving passengers and is one of the fastest in the world, with results available in approximately 90 minutes and the capacity to test more than 20,000 travellers and staff per day.

The establishment of the PCR testing laboratory falls in line with the directives and vision of His Excellency Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Airports, to contain the spread of COVID-19 while continuing to deliver a smooth and seamless travel experience at Abu Dhabi International Airport.

Shareef Hashim Al Hashmi, Chief Executive Officer of Abu Dhabi Airports, said: “Through partnering with Pure Health and Tamouh Healthcare, Abu Dhabi International Airport is now able to offer travellers state-of-the-art rapid testing services delivered by a dedicated laboratory facility. The introduction of the RT-PCR COVID-19 testing is a milestone achievement in our ongoing efforts to facilitate the safe resumption of international air travel and support the recovery of the aviation industry.”

“The fact that this is the first airport in the region to contain its own dedicated PCR testing laboratory is testament to our commitment at Abu Dhabi Airports to continuously innovate and look for new ways to deliver a safe, smooth and seamless travel experience for all our passengers. The new fast testing facility at Abu Dhabi International Airport, developed in partnership with many of our stakeholders, will not only enable passengers to confidently travel to Abu Dhabi, but significantly enhance the efficiency of our operations while supporting global efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19,” added Al Hashmi.

All passengers arriving at Abu Dhabi International Airport through both terminals 1 and 3 will be tested at the AUH PCR testing facility. Results of the COVID-19 tests will be shared by SMS and WhatsApp, as well as being available on the Alhosn mobile application. Passengers who receive a negative PCR test and are from the list of ‘green’ countries, outlined by the government of Abu Dhabi, will not have to self-isolate. Those not from the list of ‘green’ countries will have to self-isolate for a period of ten days, and will require a quarantine wristband fitted at the PCR testing tent attached to the airport.

Participants in the National Vaccination Programme and Phase III clinical trials who have an identification mark (letter E or golden star) on Al Hosn app are exempted from self-quarantine procedures. Passengers transiting through the airport will not be tested prior to departing for their final destinations.

The lab, being developed and operated by Pure Health – the region’s largest laboratory operator – and the healthcare and passenger facility, being developed by UAE-based Tamouh Healthcare, will provide results in approximately 90 minutes and will have the capacity to test more than 20,000 travellers per day. The 4,000 square metre facility will operate around the clock with up to 190 staff.

The launch of fast COVID-19 testing services follows Abu Dhabi Airports’ introduction of a comprehensive range of health and safety measures at Abu Dhabi International Airport, including a specially trained team of Wellness Ambassadors equipped to support passengers by answering common questions relating to keeping healthy during travel, encouraging social distancing, and providing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

In addition, the airport has deployed touch-less elevator technology, SterixEco Gates sterilisation tunnels, thermal scanning cameras, as well cameras with facial recognition capabilities that alert staff if passengers or visitors to the airport are displaying symptoms of COVID-19 or not wearing facemasks.