Coronavirus: Imams, priests in Abu Dhabi exempted from COVID-19 test fees

Muslim imams and non-Muslim priests in Abu Dhabi will now be exempted from paying coronavirus test fees, according to a joint statement from the UAE’s Department of Community Development and the Abu Dhabi Emergency, Crisis and Disasters Committee for the COVID-19 pandemic.

The department confirmed that the exemption for non-Muslim priests working at licensed places of worship is parallel to an earlier decision made to exempt mosque imams.

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Places of worship reopened its doors again to the worshippers after months of closures due to the coronavirus pandemic. Mosques, churches and other place of worship were reopened with a maximum capacity of 30 percent at a time, while following the safety instructions and ensuring the precautionary measures are met.

A "Gradual Return Back To Life" Guide has been launched by the Department of Community Development which is an explanatory instructional guide of the procedures to be followed by worshippers and workers, in terms of regulating their entry and exit, according to the permissible capacity, and other precautionary measures that ensures their safety, according to a report by the Emirates News Agency.

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