Leaders want vaccinations to speed up
Home administration of shots to the elderly in the offing
The UAE’s leaders have urged citizens and residents to get the Covid-19 vaccine, calling it every individual’s responsibility to protect their health, families and wider society. As the UAE’s National Vaccination Programme has already vaccinated over a million residents, the government is undertaking all steps to ensure it reaches all segments of the society.
The UAE now has over 150 medical centres, including private hospitals, where the vaccine is available and home services are being promoted for the elderly. The National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority ( NCEMA) announced on Tuesday 108,401 doses of the vaccine were distributed in 24 hours with a rate of 12.9 doses per 100 people, ranking UAE as the second-highest in global vaccination rates.
On Tuesday, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, urged members of the public to take the vaccine for a healthy society. Both the Rulers have reiterated that a vaccine is the only way to reach ‘full recovery in the shortest possible time’.
Sheikh Mohammed tweeted: “The UAE has made great strides in controlling the Covid-19 pandemic. Today, we are ranked second globally in the vaccine administration rates. Taking the vaccine is every individual’s responsibility to protect their health, families and wider society.”
>> More than 150 medical centres across the UAE are providing vaccines
>> Health authorities focus on early detection and rapid intervention to curb the spread of the disease
>> The health sector has proven its ability to deal with the virus by increasing the capacity of hospitals & labs >> The NCEMA appreciates the role of the community in supporting the efforts of the authorities
Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed wrote: “Thanks to the tremendous efforts of our frontline heroes, 1,275,000 vaccinations have already been provided to UAE citizens and residents. We hope that with vaccinations picking up the pace we will reach the point of full recovery in the shortest possible time.”
The UAE has authorised the use of the Sinopharm vaccine and in Dubai, the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine has been made available for all over 60, frontline workers, and people with underlying medical conditions. Dubai Health Authority announced on Tuesday that the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccines are available across the city at seven authorised centres.
On Tuesday, Dr Farida Al Hosni, spokesperson for the UAE health sector, said during the weekly Covid-19 briefing: “Our message today is to a dear group, our elders.
We have prioritised the availability of the vaccine to them.”
“Help us protect you, we can visit you at home to assess your medical condition and provide you with the vaccine,” she added.
Dr Al Hosni also confirmed that new genetic mutations of the components of Covid-19 have been detected in several regions of the world and is a mutated strain of the virus.
Commenting on the growing number of cases in the UAE, she said: “This is to be expected, but it is important to continue efforts to identify any changes in the components or characteristics of the virus through health monitoring and follow-up systems.”
“It is important to follow the mutations and the extent to which they affect the transmission and severity of the disease. The vaccine is considered as one of the most important solutions available to reduce the impact of the disease and the severity of its spread,” she explained.