Abu Dhabi government-run Covid-19 vaccine centres limit appointments to weekdays

People with weekend appointments told to come in during the week instead

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, January 12, 2021. SEHA Vaccination Centre at the Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal area. Victor Besa/The National Section: NA Reporter: Shireena Al Nowais

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Abu Dhabi's Seha-operated Covid-19 vaccine centres have limited appointments to administer inoculations on weekdays.

Anyone with a weekend appointment should visit a centre between Sunday and Thursday instead to receive their vaccine.

Seha (Abu Dhabi Health Services Company) is the emirate's government hospital regulator and manages dozens of vaccination centres across the capital.

The Seha vaccination centre at Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal has the capacity to administer the vaccine to up to 3,000 people per day.

The UAE has set out to immunise half of the population against Covid-19 by the end of next month.

More than 5.2 million doses of vaccine were given to the public as of Wednesday.

Officials said this week that more than 40 per cent of the public had received at least one dose of a vaccine.

Two doses are required to be fully vaccinated.

Inside an Abu Dhabi vaccine centre: 

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  UAE residents of all ages are eligible for the Sinopharm shot, which is available across the seven emirates. All photos by Victor Besa / The National

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  People register for the vaccine at Seha's cruise ship terminal vaccine centre

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  Both the government and employers have urged the public to get vaccinated, as the country faces record daily numbers of new cases

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  An Abu Dhabi resident waits to receive her first shot at the Seha vaccination centre at Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal.

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  Sisters Aya and Jana register for the vaccine shot

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  Suzana and husband Novica Ristovic get vaccinated pictured with the advice brochures given to all volunteers

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  Shaikha Al Dheiri waits to be called in for the first of two shots that are necessary to provide protection against the virus

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  The Seha Vaccination Centre at Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal can serve up to 3,000 people per day. Victor Besa / The National

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  The vaccination Centre at Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal

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  A medic holds up a package containing the Chinese-made Sinopharm vaccine

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  Emirati Abdulaziz Karmastaji gets a basic blood oxygen check before his vaccination

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  Two shots are required 21 days apart to ensure people have sufficient antibodies to protect them

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  A man is inoculated at Seha Vaccination Centre in the Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal

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  Mohamed Hawas Al Sadid, chief executive of Abu Dhabi's public hospital operator Seha, oversees the vaccination drive

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  The Seha Vaccination Centre at Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal can serve up to 3,000 people per day

This month, Abu Dhabi said it would limit vaccinations to the elderly, disabled, and people with chronic illnesses over the following six weeks.

It followed a nationwide decision by the Ministry of Health, which said all vaccine centres were now dedicated "only to the elderly and people with chronic diseases, in the light of the spike in infections over the past weeks".

Abu Dhabi residents who have had their first vaccine dose will be able to take their second as scheduled.

But people who have not yet had their first dose are expected to have to wait until next month.

Walk-in services will end and younger people will be seen by appointment only.

This week, Dubai residents reported being turned away from Dubai Parks and Resorts' vaccine centre, which is run by Seha, at the weekend despite having appointments confirmed on the Seha app.

The Department of Health Abu Dhabi told The National on Sunday that the centre would cease weekend appointments and said people should return during weekdays.

"Residents scheduled to take the second dose will be called to reschedule their appointments this week," the department said.