Dubai will dedicate three clinics to deliver the Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccine to Emiratis and over-60s only. The move follows <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/uae/health/coronavirus-dubai-reschedules-pfizer-biontech-shots-amid-global-shortage-1.1152194">local and global shortages of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine</a>, which Dubai approved and rolled out in limited numbers from December. The Sinopharm shots - which were trialled in Abu Dhabi and were already available in all seven emirates - will be given at Nad Al Hamr, Al Twar and Al Mankhool health centres from Sunday, January 31. DHA officials did not specifically state if non-Emiratis and under-60s would be excluded from getting the vaccine at this time - but suggested appointments could be pushed back. "In the first phase of the launch of the vaccine, the DHA's Contact Centre will reach out to those who already have appointments for vaccination," said Dr Farida Al Khaja, chief executive of DHA's clinical support services and nursing sector. Sinopharm remains available to all residents at Dubai Parks and Resorts theme park, which is run by Abu Dhabi's government hospital operator Seha. Doses of Pfizer-BioNTech were available to people over 60, anyone with chronic diseases, people with disabilities, frontline workers and those in essential sectors. That vaccine was available only to Dubai residents who fall into the above categories, and had been planned for a wider roll-out from April, before shortages hit.
