Covid vaccine UAE: Benefits of taking the free jab

Vaccination is the easiest and quickest way to restore normalcy in the country, serving as a ‘booster shot’ for the economy, a top official from the health sector has said.

Dr Nawal Al Kaabi, chairperson of the National Covid-19 Clinical Management Committee, said that by taking the vaccine, a person helps ensure a society free of the virus.

“The vaccine will protect the person and others. So, we will not only protect ourselves, but our families and the community. The other advantage of taking the vaccine is that we will be able to go back to our normal lives. We will be able to travel and do a lot of things. Our economy, hopefully, will be back to normal,” Dr Nawal told Khaleej Times in an interview.

Dr Nawal, the principal investigator of the Phase III Clinical Trial for a Covid-19 vaccine in the UAE, pointed out that those who are vaccinated will be free to travel to certain areas without the need for quarantine.

“The Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, along with the Ministry of Health and Prevention, decided that people who are vaccinated will be able to travel to certain areas on the ‘green’ list. And once they are back, they will not be under quarantine, but they will have to do the RT-PCR test.”

The list of ‘green’ countries, regions and territories includes Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and Saudi Arabia.

Urging people to take the jab and continue following precautionary measures, Dr Walid Zaher, chief research officer and vaccine project leader of G42 Healthcare, said a lower number of people with infection will lessen the burden on the healthcare sector, which will soon be reflected positively on the economy.

The higher the number of people taking the jab, the sooner people could go back to their normal lives, said Dr Zaher.

ashwani@khaleejtimes.com

Ashwani Kumar

I am a newspaperman from the emirate of Abu Dhabi. A journalist at heart. I get my stories from the streets. A south Indian born in the Hindi heartland, I easily connect with people from different nationalities and cultures. I am calm like a monk, sensitive and very patient reporter. On the ground, I cover a range of topics related to community, health, embassy, tourism, transport, business and sports. I will go out on a leg to do what’s right and stand by what I believe in.