UAE: 10,857 vaccine doses administered in 24 hours

The UAE has administered 10,857 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 stand at 24.4 million.

This takes the rate of doses to 247.54 doses per 100 people.

As scheduled international flights resume operations from Sunday after a two-year gap following the pandemic, the Indian government has revised the guidelines, relaxing many of the existing Covid-19 related restrictions.

Cabin crew members do not need to wear personal protective equipment kits, while security personnel at airports cam resume pat-down search of passengers when it is needed.

Airlines also do not need to keep three seats vacant on international flights for medical emergencies. The rules have been relaxed to ensure “a smooth conduct of air operations,” said the government, even as Covid infections continue to fall because of the high vaccination levels in the country.

But wearing of protective face masks and maintenance of hand hygiene/sanitisers is compulsory both at airports and on flights. "Airlines may carry a few additional PPE protective gears, sanitisers and N-95 masks, to handle any respiratory infections related to cases on air, for passengers as well as the crew," said an official spokesperson on Saturday.

Meanwhile, international flights to and from India have started operating at 100 per cent capacity from Sunday, March 27, after a gap of two years. Regular flights had been suspended as a Covid safety measure, with India operating some flights under air bubble agreements with multiple countries, including the UAE.

With travel restrictions eased, flights between the UAE and India are back to pre-pandemic levels.

Dubai-based Emirates, for instance, said it will re-introduce pre-pandemic flight frequencies to its destinations in India from April 1. The airline will be operating 170 weekly flights to nine cities in the country.

• Dubai
• Abu Dhabi