Our Correspondent
Health authorities in the UAE have released a list of the clinics and hospitals where residents can now take the Covid-19 vaccine. Residents can receive the vaccine only from the emirate in which their visas have been issued.
The UAE’s Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP) had officially registered China’s Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine from the Beijing Institute of Biological Products on December 9. The inactivated vaccine is 86 per cent accurate according to health regulators and taking the jab is voluntary. The Sinopharm vaccine is believed to be able to travel at a temperature of 2-8 degree Celsius unlike Pfizer and Moderna’s vaccines which boast an efficacy over 94% but require transportation in -70⁰C and -20⁰C respectively.
The vaccine trial in the UAE earlier had involved 31,000 people; nearly 100,000 people in the UAE have already received the vaccine as part of the voluntary national vaccination program. In August, Sinopharm had stated that its vaccine would cost no more than $145.
It was launched in Abu Dhabi first and has now been extended to Dubai and the Northern Emirates. It is now available in all clinics run by SEHA, Abu Dhabi’s public health regulator, as well as private medical facilities run by VPS Healthcare and NMC Hospital. VPS Healthcare will provide mass vaccination through 18 of its facilities in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and the western region from December 12; NMC will do so from December 13.
In Dubai, residents can get the shot at Dubai Parks and Resorts field hospital. In Sharjah, it is available at Wasit Medical Centre from 4 pm to 9 pm. In Ajman, people can go to Al Humaidiya Centre from 9 am to 12.30 pm and from 5 pm to 8.30 pm. In Umm Al Quwain and Fujairah, it is available at the Al Bait Metwahid centre and Murashied Medical Centre respectively.
Those interested in receiving the vaccine must carry their Emirates IDs and a Ministry health card, which can be obtained from Tasheel Health Centres. Appointments can be booked calling 80050 in health centres and clinics run by the MoHAP. The vaccine will be administered in two shots, 21 days apart.
Residents must provide a COVID-19 negative test result (DPI) before receiving the jab.
