UAE has world's highest Covid vaccination rate

Dubai - It has edged past Israel in administering Covid-19 vaccine doses.

By Sahim Salim

Published: Sun 23 May 2021, 4:31 PM

Last updated: Sun 23 May 2021, 7:35 PM

The UAE is now the number one in the world when it comes to Covid-19 vaccination rates.

As on Sunday, May 23, the country has administered over 12.1 million vaccine doses. This takes the rate of doses to 122.39 per 100 people.

With this, the UAE has edged past Israel in vaccine administration. According to Our World In Data, Israel has administered 121.92 doses of the Covid vaccine per 100 people.

The UAE crossed the 12 million Covid-19 vaccine doses milestone on Saturday.

In the weekly Covid-19 briefing last week, officials announced that nearly 74 per cent of eligible groups and 80 per cent of the elderly population have been vaccinated against the coronavirus.

And it looks well on track to vaccinating 100 per cent of all eligible groups by the end of 2021.

Covid vaccines are available for free in centres across the country. The minimum age to get the Pfizer-BioNTech jab is 12, while Sinopharm is administered to anyone aged above 16 years.

Residents who have received both doses of the Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccine are eligible to receive a booster shot six months after receiving their second shot.

Booster shots are typically given to those who have less immunity against diseases and people with chronic illnesses.