Covid vaccine: UAE to provide jab to all residents

The UAE is among the first countries in the world that aims to provide the Covid-19 vaccine to all of its residents, the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA) said on Tuesday.

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This is part of its efforts to achieve herd immunity, which will help bring down the number of cases, control the virus and reduce its spread.

“The national vaccination campaign aims to ensure that more than 50 per cent of the UAE’s population receives the vaccine in the first quarter of 2021,” said the NCEMA.

The authority said the vaccines are provided for free at more than 205 centres across the country.

Three vaccines are registered in the country: Sinopharm, Pfizer and, most recently, Sputnik.

“The UAE launched the national vaccination campaign after confirming its safety, and after successfully exceeding its needed scientific phases that spanned a year ... It meets international standards in the manufacture of vaccines,” the authority said.

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The UAE ranked second in the world in administering daily doses last week, with an average of 6.06 per 100 people. It is the fifth country in the world in the total number of doses administered after the United States, China, the United Kingdom and Israel.

Vaccine effect being monitored

The UAE is monitoring the results of the national vaccination campaign and its effect on the number of infections.

The NCEMA stressed the importance of adhering to precautionary and preventive measures, including those that have been vaccinated.

“The community’s commitment to official procedures and guidelines is the key to maintaining the achievements of the UAE in managing the Covid-19 pandemic and recovering from its effects at all levels.”

This commitment was one of the main reasons why the UAE succeeded in containing the first wave of the virus last year. “Today, we ... are trusting them to be key player in the face of the pandemic’s second wave.

“Measures have contributed to maintaining public health and strengthening government’s confidence — naturally leading to UAE being ranked first in Middle East and third in the world in terms of public satisfaction with procedures, according to Toluna International Consumer Survey (June 2020).”

The country had taken many measures to contain the crisis. “The government has stipulated the practices and actions that violate the national health and safety procedures, with penalties ranging from Dh1,000 to Dh50,000.”

“The UAE’s management of the Covid-19 pandemic is a balance between maintaining the safety of the community, restoring normalcy, resuming economic activities and accelerating production in various vital sectors,” the NCEMA added.

• Dubai
• Abu Dhabi