Church joins UAE Covid-19 vaccine drive; 7,000 get jab

Churches have joined the UAE National Vaccination Programme against Covid-19.

To help the government achieve its plan to vaccinate 50 per cent of its population by March, St Joseph’s Cathedral in Abu Dhabi facilitated the vaccination of 7,000 people. More churches will be offering the jabs to members of the community in the coming weeks.

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Bishop Paul Hinder, Apostolic Vicar of the Vicariate of Southern Arabia, and other priests from St Joseph’s Cathedral Abu Dhabi, including Parish Priest Father Johnson K. Joseph and Assistant Parish Priest Father Elie El Hashem, have already taken their second doses of the vaccine.

The cathedral, in coordination with the local health authorities, held a vaccination drive. People had to just bring their Emirates ID to get the jab.

The drive was organised by Tamouh Healthcare with a 25-member team supported by some 20 volunteers from the cathedral.

About 3,000 got the jab on Friday and 4,000 on Saturday. The cathedral said that similar drives are being planned at other churches in cooperation with the local authorities.

“We are grateful for the efforts of the UAE government to make the vaccine freely and readily available. We as a community are ready to extend our wholehearted cooperation with the efforts and initiatives of the government in the fight against Covid-19,” Parish Priest, Father Joseph, said.