Medics at Dubai's 1,200-bed Covid-19 field hospital remain on alert


Nick Webster
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  • Arabic

Related: Seha chief on how UAE kept public trust in health care during Covid-19

As hundreds of people queue to be vaccinated at one of the country’s largest temporary medical sites at Dubai Parks and Resorts, a 1,200-bed field hospital near by lies empty.

Empty beds are a sign of progress in the fight against Covid-19, said one of the hospital's general practitioners, Dr Mohammad Nour Al Saeed, from Syria.

But health officials do not take victory over the virus for granted, with the worrying surge in India a timely warning against complacency.

At the peak of the pandemic in 2020, two thirds of the temporary field hospital was full. It is now on standby.

We are winning against the virus in the UAE but we need to be cautious now more than ever

“This site has been a major hub for vaccination in recent months,” said Dr Al Saeed.

“We started with 600 vaccinations daily but we can now give around 5,000 jabs every day."

Working on the front line during the pandemic has shown doctors how serious the virus can be.

With this in mind, a new 50-bed intensive care unit was added at the site.

“Working in ICU or with inpatients has given an insight into how damaging this virus can be," said Dr Al Saeed.

“In the beginning it was very rare to see a young person in hospital with Covid-19.

“In recent months we have seen patients getting younger, with many aged 19 to 20.”

Every day, thousands of people visit the resort's vaccination centre, built in a car park 20 minutes outside Dubai and operated by Abu Dhabi Health Services (Seha), to receive doses of the vaccines developed by Pfizer and Sinopharm.

So far, more than 10 million doses have been administered across the country in one of the world's fastest inoculation drives.

A separate metric shows 65 per cent of the eligible population are now vaccinated against Covid-19.

Any resident over the age of 16 can now schedule their first or second dose of the vaccine at the centre.

If called on, staff at the field hospital can treat all Covid-19 cases, from patients with mild symptoms to those in need of intensive care.

The dedicated coronavirus unit will free up city hospitals to treat regular inpatients with everyday ailments.

It is not simply rows of empty wards inside the field hospital, there is also a pharmacy and a laboratory with a cold-storage unit set at minus 80°C for vaccine doses.

Field hospital 'here if needed'

The vast centre is divided into patient-only zones, where only medics in full personal protective equipment may enter.

A strict one-way system is in place, so up to 1,200 patients can be screened, treated and monitored during their journey through the centre.

Cameras adorn the walls of each ICU bay to allow healthcare staff to monitor patients 24 hours a day.

Wards are equipped to give up to 50 patients at a time oxygen and life supportin a similar manner to a regular hospital.

As cases of Covid-19 continue to fall in the UAE, a surge in India that has taken its infection tally to more than 17 million should remind everyone to remain vigilant, said Dr Al Saeed, who joined Seha in April 2020.

“We are winning against the virus in the UAE but we need to be cautious now more than ever,” said Dr Al Saeed.

“It is important we do not collapse under the strain of more cases so we must all continue to be careful.

“What is happening in India is a disaster because they cannot provide enough oxygen.

“The brother of one of our nurses died because of this. This hospital has never been full, but it is on standby.

“Hopefully it will not be needed, but it is here if it is.”

Stage 3 results

1 Adam Yates (GBR) Mitchelton-Scott 4:42:33

2 Tadej Pocagar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates 0:01:03

3 Alexey Lutsenko (KAZ) Astana 0:01:30

4 David Gaudu (FRA) Groupama-FDJ

5 Rafal Majka (POL) Bora-Hansgrohe         

6 Diego Ulissi (ITA) UAE Team Emirates  0:01:56

General Classification after Stage 3:

1 Adam Yates (GBR) Mitchelton-Scott 12:30:02

2 Tadej Pocagar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates 0:01:07

3  Alexey Lutsenko (KAZ) Astana 0:01:35

4 David Gaudu (FRA) Groupama-FDJ 0:01:40

5  Rafal Majka (POL) Bora-Hansgrohe

6 Wilco Kelderman (NED) Team Sunweb)  0:02:06

In Full Flight: A Story of Africa and Atonement
John Heminway, Knopff

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The 12 Syrian entities delisted by UK 

Ministry of Interior
Ministry of Defence
General Intelligence Directorate
Air Force Intelligence Agency
Political Security Directorate
Syrian National Security Bureau
Military Intelligence Directorate
Army Supply Bureau
General Organisation of Radio and TV
Al Watan newspaper
Cham Press TV
Sama TV

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Poland Statement
All people fleeing from Ukraine before the armed conflict are allowed to enter Poland. Our country shelters every person whose life is in danger - regardless of their nationality.

The dominant group of refugees in Poland are citizens of Ukraine, but among the people checked by the Border Guard are also citizens of the USA, Nigeria, India, Georgia and other countries.

All persons admitted to Poland are verified by the Border Guard. In relation to those who are in doubt, e.g. do not have documents, Border Guard officers apply appropriate checking procedures.

No person who has received refuge in Poland will be sent back to a country torn by war.

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Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE. 

Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Universal Championship Brock Lesnar (champion) v Roman Reigns in a steel cage match

WWE World Heavyweight ChampionshipAJ Styles (champion) v Shinsuke Nakamura

Intercontinental Championship Seth Rollins (champion) v The Miz v Finn Balor v Samoa Joe

United States Championship Jeff Hardy (champion) v Jinder Mahal

SmackDown Tag Team Championship The Bludgeon Brothers (champions) v The Usos

Raw Tag Team Championship (currently vacant) Cesaro and Sheamus v Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt

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Singles match John Cena v Triple H

Cruiserweight Championship Cedric Alexander v Kalisto

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Day 1 results:

Open Men (bonus points in brackets)
New Zealand 125 (1) beat UAE 111 (3)
India 111 (4) beat Singapore 75 (0)
South Africa 66 (2) beat Sri Lanka 57 (2)
Australia 126 (4) beat Malaysia -16 (0)

Open Women
New Zealand 64 (2) beat South Africa 57 (2)
England 69 (3) beat UAE 63 (1)
Australia 124 (4) beat UAE 23 (0)
New Zealand 74 (2) beat England 55 (2)

Company%20Profile
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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.” 

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THREE
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David Haye record

Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4

Our legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.