Vaccine is the only way forward, get it now
Pandemic will end only when sizeable populations get the jab in each country
The vaccination programme is well under way in the country and gathering momentum, thanks to excellent public-private sector partnership and the UAE health regulators’ farsightedness. As of yesterday, more than 1.79 million Emiratis and expatriates were vaccinated and thousands more are queuing up at vaccination centres every day. The UAE is aiming to vaccinate almost 50 per cent of the population by end of this quarter. With a vaccine distribution rate of 24.58 doses per 100 among medically eligible residents, the UAE is now the global leader in this particular category.
The UAE’s leadership last week issued a call to citizens and residents to enrol for vaccination — that is free and voluntary — and help return of normal life. His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, said vaccination is the way forward and will “accelerate the full recovery of our country”. Similarly, His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, said: “We hope that with vaccinations picking up pace we will reach the point of full recovery in the shortest possible time.”
There is a global consensus that mass inoculation is the only way out, and defeat of the pandemic is possible only when sizeable populations get the jab in each country. In recent days, new infections have gone up in the UAE, an indication of unpredictable trajectory of the virus even in territories where preventive measures are properly enforced. Gulf News has been highlighting the need to pay equal attention to vaccination and safety measures and the public have a big responsibility to comply with both.
The global fight against coronavirus has entered a decisive phase. While the vaccination is free and voluntary, health regulators must ensure that all segments of the society are covered by the programme. Several centres in the UAE have a simplified process — walk in, register and get the shot — accelerating the pace of vaccination. In order to keep the momentum, health authorities must also create awareness among sections of the society that are not covered by traditional media and make arrangements to take vaccines to their doorstep. Going forward, the pace of vaccination in the UAE will largely depend on people’s eagerness to enrol themselves. While the health authorities have ensured availability of shots across the country, they must also proactively dispel any misgivings about the process or the vaccine.