Trends, truths and tales from UAE families as they navigated life during COVID-19
1 of 27 COVID-19 has affected everyone’s lives, but it is perhaps parents whose worlds were rocked the most by the novel coronavirus. With schools and nurseries closed, mums and dads were promoted to makeshift teachers overnight, forcing them to juggle home-learning duties with their own sudden work-from-home status, on top of the manifold domestic tasks involved in raising a family. Image Credit: Supplied
2 of 27 Meanwhile for couples who were just starting a family, all pregnancy dreams and plans flew out of the window, as maternity wards tightened restrictions, grandparents-to-be cancelled flights, baby showers and antenatal classes went virtual, and pregnant women were classed as vulnerable and advised to self-isolate at all times. Thousands of families struggled on reduced or lost incomes, dealt with sickness at home or abroad, and wo
However frequent a flyer you might be, adding a baby and a pandemic into the mix can make even the most seasoned expat traveler lose their cool. But planning ahead can make the world of difference. For families travelling overseas during the festive period, here are some tips from parents and former cabin crew on how to fly safely and smoothly with a baby in the new normal.
DO YOUR COVID REQUIREMENTS HOMEWORK
First things first, do not even think about leaving for the airport in the current climate without having checked out the legal requirements for the country you are flying to. If you are a UAE resident then, depending on your UAE visa, you will need to apply to either the GDRFA or ICA for approval to return to the UAE. And, depending on your travel destination, you are likely going to need to take a PCR COVID test and provide a negative certificate, either within a certain timeframe prior to leaving, or on arrival. While children under 12 are exempt from the COVID test require