Fresh call for public to take Covid-19 vaccine boosters as UAE enters 'recovery phase'

Dr Farida Al Hosani reiterates plea for parents to get their children vaccinated

Dr Farida Al Hosani, spokeswoman for the Ministry of Health and Prevention. Photo: National Media Council

The UAE government has urged the public to get coronavirus booster shots to allow the country to continue to recover from the pandemic.

Dr Farida Al Hosani, health spokeswoman for the federal government, said booster shots have contributed to the recent decline in daily cases.

“It really helped in boosting the [public's] immunity and this led to the decrease in the number of infections,” she said in a televised briefing.

“We call on all eligible groups to take the booster shot on time.”

Dr Farida said safety precautions and vaccines has meant that people can see life is going back to normal.

“Two years have passed since the break out of Covid-19 pandemic,” said Dr Farida. “We are back to the workplace and our children and all students are back to schools and universities.”

“We are now at full capacity in our economy,” she said. “This means that the UAE has succeeded in reaching the recovery stage.”

Abu Dhabi authorities have said people who received Sinopharm more than six months ago have until September 20 to take a booster shot, or face some restrictions to enter public places. Officials previously said the Chinese vaccine provides immunity for four-to-six months.

The booster shot can be either Sinopharm or Pfizer-BioNTech. People have been offered two shots of Pfizer, which is highly effective against the Delta variant, if they wish.

The UAE recorded 996 new Covid-19 infections on Tuesday as case numbers remained below 1,000 for the eighth day in a row.

The latest cases, which were detected as a result of another 329,146 PCR tests, brought the country's overall tally to 718,370.

Another 1,515 people beat the virus, raising the recovery total to 705,118.

Two more people died after contracting the virus, increasing the death toll to 2,041.

UAE pupils return to school: in pictures

Children at Repton School, Al Barsha in Dubai.

Pupils returned to in-person lessons in Dubai this academic year. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Learners arrive for classes at Repton School in Al Barsha.

Zoe Woolley, headmistress at Repton Al Barsha, welcomes pupils as they arrive for school.

Children follow Covid-19 safety protocols at Repton school.

Repton Al Barsha school has 770 pupils back in class this term.

Dubai schools have bounced back from the Covid-19 pandemic.

A young pupil holds her fathers hand as she arrives at Repton Al Barsha.

Children listen to a class led by Mrs Wright at Repton Al Barsha.

Nursery pupils at The British School Al Khubairat, in Abu Dhabi. Khushnum Bhandari/ The National

Covid-19 safety measures are followed closely at The British School Al Khubairat, in Abu Dhabi.