Coronavirus: UAE records 146 new cases

Mass testing and vaccination has led to a falling number of Covid-19 cases in the Emirates

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  Abu Dhabi residents are inoculated at the screening and vaccine centre on the Corniche. A nationwide testing and inoculation campaign is credited with driving down cases. All photos: Victor Besa / The National

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  Staff and nurses from the Abu Dhabi public hospital group Seha urged the public to protect themselves from Covid-19 by signing up to be vaccinated.

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  Motorists queue for PCR tests at Seha's testing and vaccination centre on Abu Dhabi's Corniche.

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  Mass testing and a successful vaccination campaign has helped the UAE to tackle the pandemic.

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  Drivers wait at a centre that provides both PCR nasal swab tests and coronavirus vaccine doses.

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  Shenaz Abdul Salam, 13, gives a thumbs up as he waits to receive his first vaccine dose.

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  A staff nurse fills in a vaccination form for a driver at the Corniche centre.

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  Mariam Al Badi, an Emirati nurse working at Seha's drive-through vaccine centre, has urged everyone to get inoculated against Covid-19.

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  Ms Al Badi goes through the vaccination process with a driver.

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  Cars queue at the drive-through testing and vaccination centre on Abu Dhabi's Corniche.

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  More than 80 per cent of the UAE population has been vaccinated and the government is urging those who have not to sign up.

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  An Abu Dhabi resident gives the thumbs up after signing up for vaccination.

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  Authorities have made the vaccines free for everyone.

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  A medical worker checks papers as Abu Dhabi residents sign up for the Covid-19 vaccine.

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  The drive-through Covid-19 testing and inoculation centre has proved popular with Abu Dhabi residents.

The UAE reported 146 new Covid-19 cases on Saturday.

This brings the country's total number of infections to 737,655 as cases continue to fall.

Two people died from complications related to Covid-19, bringing the total death toll to 2,113.

Another 188 people beat the virus, raising the number of recoveries to 730,922.

Cases have been falling in recent weeks as mass testing and one of the world's fastest vaccination drives have helped the UAE curb the virus.

On Tuesday, the country authorised the emergency use of booster shots of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Sputnik vaccines for some groups.

Booster shots are to be given six months after the second dose.

The groups that should take a booster shot are senior citizens and residents aged over 60; people with chronic diseases, or at risk of complications (aged 50-59); and people receiving long-term health care (aged 18 years and over).

Travel and social distancing rules are being relaxed as the UAE cautiously returns to normal.