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Covid vaccine: Booster Sinopharm doses to be ready in a month, says top UAE official

Dubai - The option to book the additional doses will be available soon.

The UAE's Covid vaccine centres have begun preparations to administer booster doses of the Sinopharm vaccine by receiving requests and recording data.

Officials at Covid vaccine centres around the country have explained that the majority of those who received the first and second doses of the Sinopharm vaccine have not yet completed the required six months to be eligible for the additional dose.

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They also noted that an option to book an appointment for the additional dose will be added to the registration system as soon as doses become available at the centres in about a month.

Dr Farida Al Hosani, official spokesperson for the UAE health sector, told Emarat Al Youm that the third Sinopharm vaccine dose is optional. It is part of the country's proactive strategy to provide maximum protection for society, with priority given to the elderly and those with chronic diseases.

Al Hosani advised that, at present, there are no studies that support taking a different vaccine after one has received two doses of a Covid-19 vaccine. More studies are required on the subject, she said, noting that health authorities in the country are closely following international studies in the field and will announce any developments.

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Frontline doctors in the country have urged everyone eligible for vaccination to take the jab. This comes especially in light of initial results from those who have contracted the virus after taking the vaccine.

Vaccinated patients who get infected again have so far presented very mild symptoms only, confirming the effectiveness of the approved vaccines in the UAE.