On June 3, the government of Abu Dhabi announced that it would begin distributing smart wristbands to track patients during their [home isolation] (https://www.thenational.ae/uae/government/coronavirus-smart-bands-introduced-to-monitor-patients-in-self-isolation-1.1028370). In a statement to the Emirates News Agency, Health Department officials clarified that this effort was to ensure that individuals were strictly complying with their 14 day period of [home quarantine] (https://wam.ae/en/details/1395302848852). It was announced that the watch should only be removed by a medic after the 14 day quarantine period and any effort to otherwise tamper with or remove the watch would result in a [10,000 AED fine] (https://www.thenational.ae/uae/government/coronavirus-smart-bands-introduced-to-monitor-patients-in-self-isolation-1.1028370).

The original statement from the health department claimed that the watches would only be distributed to individuals who are ["asymptomatic or show mild symptoms”] (https://www.thenational.ae/uae/government/coronavirus-smart-bands-introduced-to-monitor-patients-in-self-isolation-1.1028370). However, this policy has changed: all self-isolating individuals who enter the country have been asked to wear the bracelet.

NYU Abu Dhabi students who landed in Dubai and then crossed the land border into Abu Dhabi were required to wear the bracelet. In an interview with The Gazelle, Victoria Zhu, Class of 2021, described the “chaotic” and “confusing” circumstances in which she and three other students were given their trackers at a border testing center on the morning of Sept. 2.

However, in spite of these challenges, Zhu claims that the process was made far more bearable by NYUAD which, she says, gave her and the other students an “immense amount of support.” She relays that the administrative response led by Doctor Ayaz Virji, head of the NYUAD Health Center, was prompt and effective, and exceeded her expectations in several areas, such as enabling students to have their trackers removed on campus.

Sahil Maisuria, class of 2022, had an experience that deviates from the standard pattern of other individuals who were given the tracker. He was not only given the watch despite landing in AUH, but also after several days of quarantine. In his interview with The Gazelle, Maisuria explains how on Monday, he received a call from an unknown number asking him to provide his personal details. He contacted the NYUAD Health Center about it, who confirmed that it was a legitimate government number asking for his location and information as a part of a new effort to ensure the self-isolation protocols were being followed.

As the official number of confirmed cases have risen up to [83,433] (https://gulfnews.com/uae/health/covid-19-uae-reports-1-death-865-new-coronavirus-cases-1.1600419443716) as of Sept. 18, the Abu Dhabi government has announced that it will be expanding the use of tracker bracelets. In a recent statement, the use of tracker bracelets was extended to all passengers entering the emirate through Etihad Airways, save for those under 18, over 60, or anyone suffering from a [chronic illness] (https://whatson.ae/2020/09/all-inbound-uae-etihad-passengers-must-wear-tracking-tag-for-14-days/).

Considering that NYUAD is now also expecting a second batch of students authorized to [return to campus] (https://nyuad.nyu.edu/en/return/covid-19-updates.html), it is likely that further updates and stories regarding student experiences with the tracker wristband may soon arise.