The UAE reported 144 <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/uae/coronavirus/" target="_blank">Covid-19 cases</a> on Thursday, the lowest number of new daily infections since March 31 last year. The new figures – which took the country's tally to 737,373 – were detected as a result of a further 264,452 PCR tests. Another 221 patients beat the virus as the recovery total climbed to 730,530. Two people died, raising the death toll to 2,109. More than 86 million PCR tests have been conducted in the Emirates as part of a mass screening strategy aimed at limiting the spread of the virus. Case numbers have been on the decline for several months after peaking at close to 4,000 a day in February. On Wednesday, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, urged the public to return to normality, saying that the Covid-19 crisis had been overcome. He said the UAE was in “good condition”, although he cautioned that some adjustments would have to be made in the post-pandemic age. Meanwhile, a <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/coronavirus/2021/10/06/past-infection-plus-vaccinations-gives-greater-covid-protection-study-shows/" target="_blank">new study</a> suggests people who have received two doses of a vaccine having previously contracted Covid-19 have greater levels of protection against the virus. Past Covid infection, together with being fully vaccinated, increases an individual’s protection against the virus to as much as 94 per cent, according to the Zoe Covid study. The research found two doses of Oxford/AstraZeneca provided 71 per cent protection against infection up to six months after vaccination, while protection was increased to 90 per cent among those who had previously tested positive for the virus. <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/coronavirus/2021/10/04/two-doses-of-pfizer-biontech-shot-very-effective-against-hospital-admission-for-six-months/">Two doses of Pfizer/BioNTech</a> vaccine gave 80 per cent protection up to six months after vaccination, which increased to 94 per cent in those with a previous infection.