UAE: 69,695 Covid vaccine doses administered in 24 hours

Dubai - Health authorities in UAE are working with peers to ascertain how often people will need to take booster shots of Covid-19 vaccines.

The UAE has administered 69,695 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 16.4 million. This takes the rate of doses to 166.2 per 100 people.

Local health authorities are working with peers to ascertain how often people will need to take booster shots of Covid-19 vaccines, the Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre (ADPHC) has said.

Individuals may opt for either Sinopharm or Pfizer booster doses after a medical evaluation, the ADPHC said in a statement to Khaleej Times.

“Booster dose is available for those who have completed six months since the second dose of Sinopharm. Individuals may choose to receive either the Sinopharm vaccine or Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine as a booster after medical evaluation.”

Asked if an individual is required to take a booster dose every six months, the ADPHC noted: “The booster dose helps enhance the immunity response; therefore, decreasing individuals’ susceptibility to infection, complications and hospitalisation. We are currently working with other health authorities to determine the periodicity of taking the booster doses of Covid-19 vaccines based on up-to-date reviewed scientific robust data.”

Saudi citizens will need two Covid-19 vaccine doses before they can travel outside the kingdom from August 9, state news agency SPA reported on Monday, citing the ministry of interior.

The decision was made based on new waves of infection globally, new mutations, and the “low efficacy of one vaccination dose against these mutations,” the statement said.