UAE Covid vaccine: Sinopharm offers 100% protection against severe infection

The Chinese Sinopharm vaccine offers 100 per cent protection from moderate and severe forms of Covid-19. It's overall efficacy rate is 86 per cent, top experts said in Abu Dhabi.

Dr Walid Zaher, chief research officer and vaccine project leader of G42 Healthcare, told Khaleej Times: “Think about the (Covid-19) vaccine the same way you are taking the flu vaccine. If you are taking the flu vaccine, sometimes you don’t get the flu at all and sometimes you get the flu but in a very mild form. Covid-19 at the end of the day is a flu, a very nasty bad flu. And the vaccine works in the same way. It will either prevent you completely from having the disease or there is a remote chance that you get an infection. Even if you get it (infection) after taking the vaccine, you will not feel it. Even if you feel it, it will be a very mild flu.

Also read: UAE Covid cases surge: How vaccine will bring them down

“(The vaccine) will prevent you completely from having any severe or moderate side effects from Covid-19.”

Dr Nawal Al Kaabi, Chairperson, National Covid-19 Clinical Management Committee, added: “This is a safe vaccine. All the side effects that we have seen were expected and we have seen it with other vaccines, and maybe even less compared with other vaccines.”

“The efficacy is really good. It has 100 per cent efficacy in preventing severe disease, which is great. What else would you want from a vaccine?” Dr Nawal, the Principal Investigator of Phase III Clinical Trial, asked.

She then emphasised that vaccination doesn’t mean 100 per cent protection against infection.

“(Though) you are protected 100 per cent against severe infection, there is a chance to acquire a disease. So, it is important for people who have taken the vaccine to continue to wear masks... and follow all the precautions,” Dr Nawal said.

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.