Dubai looks to cutting edge techs to fight Covid-19

From research labs to smart police helmets, the Covid-19 virus has given Dubai an opportunity to test its technological and scientific clout as it shapes its approach to the pandemic.

Covid-19 Command and Control Centre is a key part of the Gulf emirate's fight against the virus spread and it was set up to coordinate the efforts of Dubai's doctors, epidemiologists and other professionals.

It is hosted within the Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences (MBRU) in Dubai's Healthcare City, also home to state-of-the-art hospitals, labs and research centres.

Amer Sharif, who heads the multidisciplinary centre said, "For several years, Dubai has endeavoured to put in place solid digital infrastructure, and this has contributed to the fight against the coronavirus."

Tom Loney, associate professor of public health and epidemiology at MBRU, said the coronavirus was an opportunity for Dubai to put its capabilities to the test.

"It's the ability to react, to make quick decisions based on data and science" that sets Dubai apart, said Loney, who is also an adviser to authorities in the emirate.

The emirate was creating its "own model" of responding to the health crisis, Sharif added, though authorities were also looking at countries such as South Korea, seen as a positive policy response to the crisis.