UAE: 39,636 Covid vaccine doses administered in 24 hours

Dubai - Health experts said those who refuse to get vaccinated could be the reason behind a spike in Covid cases in the country.

The UAE has administered 39,636 doses of the Covid-19 vaccine in the past 24 hours.

The country's Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) said the total doses administered now stands at 13.8 million. This takes the rate of doses to 140.02 per 100 people.

Doctors and heads of medical facilities renewed calls for residents to take the Covid jab, a day after a senior health official revealed that the vast majority of Covid-19 infections in Dubai are detected among those who are yet to receive the vaccine.

Health experts said those who refuse to get vaccinated could be the reason behind a spike in Covid cases in the country.

Nine in 10 patients with Covid-19 — who were hospitalised and admitted to the ICU — were unvaccinated, according to Dr Alawi Al Sheikh Ali, deputy director-general of Dubai Health Authority (DHA). He added that eight in 10 people who tested positive for Covid-19 were yet to take the jab.

These figures should have been a wake-up call, medical professionals said, adding that taking the vaccine doesn’t only protect a person against the disease but prevents sick individuals from infecting others.

Public health officials and physicians have been combating misconceptions about Covid-19 vaccine safety since mid-2020.

Despite the fact that numerous studies have found no evidence to support the notion that vaccines cause neurological disorders, infertility, and other chronic illnesses, a growing number of individuals are refusing to get the jab.

There is no scientific evidence suggesting vaccination causes problems with fertility and pregnancy, including the development of the placenta. Vaccines work by stimulating an immune response against a particular protein or antigen of a virus or bacteria. A Covid-19 vaccine stimulates antibody response and a cell-mediated immune response against the spike protein of the SARS- CoV-2 virus.

Recent studies suggest the immune systems of more than 95 per cent of people who recovered from the disease had durable memories of the virus up to eight months after infection. At the same time, there is not enough data to say how long an individual is protected after receiving natural immunity. So, it is advised to get the vaccine.