Covid-19: New Sinopharm vaccine to be given as booster dose in the UAE

The UAE’s Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) has approved the emergency use of Sinopharm CNBG's new recombinant protein vaccine.

The vaccine will be available to residents as a booster dose starting January 2022.

The approval came following “strict monitoring and evaluation” of data from a study conducted in the UAE.

The study included individuals who were previously vaccinated with two doses of Sinopharm CNBG's inactivated vaccine. The seroconversion rate (efficacy) was up to 100 per cent in generating neutralising antibodies. No side effects were recorded among any of the participants.

The ministry added that the vaccine demonstrated an “improved immune capacity” against SARS-CoV-2 variants, with a high safety rate that allows rapid production and easy storage and distribution.

The UAE-based study has also showed an immune response against new variants of the virus in volunteers.

The ministry affirmed that the emergency use of the new vaccine is in “full compliance with the regulations and laws for a faster review of licensing procedures”.

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The new vaccine will be produced and distributed by Hayat Biotech, a joint venture between G42 and Sinopharm CNBG.

The UAE has the world’s highest vaccination rates, with 100 per cent of eligible residents having received at least one dose of the vaccine. The country has administered over 22.5 million vaccine doses, with a distribution rate of 227.56 per 100 people.

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