Antibody tests could help determine whether people vaccinated against Covid-19 would require regular booster injections, doctors in the UAE said.
Boosters are an extra dose of a vaccine taken after the first inoculation. A tetanus booster, for example, is recommended for adults every 10 years to reactivate immune memory.
Doctors who spoke to The National said more research was needed to understand whether a vaccinated person's immunity to the Covid-19 virus weakened over time – an antibody test could help to shed light on the matter.
A blood sample is tested to check if a person's body has antibodies present to combat the virus.
If we're taking a killed virus, like Sinopharm, we have to check the antibodies after eight to nine months and decide whether a booster is required
Antibodies are proteins that help to fight off infections and can provide protection against getting that disease again.
"Some of the vaccines remain in our body for life – that's why we need only one dose when we take the childhood vaccine. When it comes to Covid-19, it's very new. We still don't know how long the cells' memory to kill the virus lasts," said Dr Anitha Varghese, general practitioner at Aster Jubilee Medical Centre in Dubai.
“If we’re taking a killed virus, like the Sinopharm vaccine, we have to check the antibodies after eight to nine months and then decide whether the booster dose is required or not.”
The UAE authorised use of the Sinopharm vaccine, which is available nationwide. In Dubai, the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is also available to prioritised groups.
More than 2.06 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine have been administered so far. The country aims to have at least 50 per cent of the population vaccinated by the end of March.
Two doses of the vaccine are needed to achieve immunity. The first one helps the body's plasma B-cells generate antibodies against the virus.
The second is taken after three to four weeks to boost immunity of the antibodies. This guides the body's T-cells, or memory cells, to find and kill the pathogen.
Dr Varghese said it was unknown how long T-cell memory endured to keep killing the Covid-19 virus in a person's body over time.
Moderna, an American pharmaceutical company, announced last week that it could be testing booster shots for its vaccine to be taken a year later.
This would be in addition to the two injections that people need now – a priming dose, followed by a booster after 28 days.
“From what we’ve seen so far, I think our expectation is that the vaccination should last you at least a year,” Moderna’s chief medical officer, Dr Tal Zaks, said last week during the JPMorgan Healthcare Conference, as reported by CNBC.
“To the degree that you need a booster shot, we’ll make a data-based recommendation, and that will require us getting the data.”
Dr Bobomurod Keldiyorov, a family medicine specialist at Canadian Specialist Hospital in Dubai, said other diseases required booster vaccinations. These include tetanus and hepatitis B.
“For tetanus, we do the booster dose every 10 years,” he said.
“For the Covid-19 vaccine, the body can produce enough antibodies initially, but after months or years, it [antibodies can go down and then, maybe, we need the booster dose.
“But the question is how long would it take for the booster dose to be required – after a few months or a year? We don’t know yet and scientists could help us answer that.”
Currently, antibody tests are available for walk-in patients in some Abu Dhabi hospitals and clinics at a cost ranging from Dh250 to Dh300.
Several private hospitals in Dubai told The National that the tests were not available for outpatients or walk-ins, even though they were easily accessible before the vaccine campaign started.
Dr Meenakshi Jain, a pathologist at Prime Medical Centre in Dubai, said the tests could soon be in demand.
“As far as I know, [hospitals in Dubai] are not doing antibody testing. We are still seeking approval from the government,” she said.
“I feel, if the vaccines are out now, there will be a demand by the healthcare provider for antibody tests, mainly for monitoring the response and even checking antibody levels to see if any further booster doses are required.”
Key developments in maritime dispute
2000: Israel withdraws from Lebanon after nearly 30 years without an officially demarcated border. The UN establishes the Blue Line to act as the frontier.
2007: Lebanon and Cyprus define their respective exclusive economic zones to facilitate oil and gas exploration. Israel uses this to define its EEZ with Cyprus
2011: Lebanon disputes Israeli-proposed line and submits documents to UN showing different EEZ. Cyprus offers to mediate without much progress.
2018: Lebanon signs first offshore oil and gas licencing deal with consortium of France’s Total, Italy’s Eni and Russia’s Novatek.
2018-2019: US seeks to mediate between Israel and Lebanon to prevent clashes over oil and gas resources.
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
The biog
Name: Abeer Al Shahi
Emirate: Sharjah – Khor Fakkan
Education: Master’s degree in special education, preparing for a PhD in philosophy.
Favourite activities: Bungee jumping
Favourite quote: “My people and I will not settle for anything less than first place” – Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid.
Which honey takes your fancy?
Al Ghaf Honey
The Al Ghaf tree is a local desert tree which bears the harsh summers with drought and high temperatures. From the rich flowers, bees that pollinate this tree can produce delicious red colour honey in June and July each year
Sidr Honey
The Sidr tree is an evergreen tree with long and strong forked branches. The blossom from this tree is called Yabyab, which provides rich food for bees to produce honey in October and November. This honey is the most expensive, but tastiest
Samar Honey
The Samar tree trunk, leaves and blossom contains Barm which is the secret of healing. You can enjoy the best types of honey from this tree every year in May and June. It is an historical witness to the life of the Emirati nation which represents the harsh desert and mountain environments
The years Ramadan fell in May
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Quick pearls of wisdom
Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Lamsa
Founder: Badr Ward
Launched: 2014
Employees: 60
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: EdTech
Funding to date: $15 million
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Du Football Champions
The fourth season of du Football Champions was launched at Gitex on Wednesday alongside the Middle East’s first sports-tech scouting platform.“du Talents”, which enables aspiring footballers to upload their profiles and highlights reels and communicate directly with coaches, is designed to extend the reach of the programme, which has already attracted more than 21,500 players in its first three years.
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
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