Pfizer vaccine in Dubai: How to book an appointment

Doses will be available at four health centres in Dubai from Wednesday

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  Pfizer-BioNTech's Covid-19 vaccines must be kept at temperatures of -70 °C. Here, they are being transported in a special trailer from the plane to Emirates Sky Pharma for storage. Courtesy: Dubai Media Office

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  The ultra-cold storage is necessary to prevent the mRNA in them – the technology used to deliver the vaccines – from breaking down.

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  The vaccine will be given free of cost in Dubai.

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  Keeping the vaccines at -70 °C maintains the structure of the mRNA for up to six months.

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  There has never been a vaccine or drug that has required such cold storage before, which meant Pfizer had to develop a special method to transport the doses.

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  Pfizer's reusable boxes, which can store up to 5,000 doses, are packed with dry ice and installed with trackers to monitor the location and temperature of the frozen vials.

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  They can be opened twice a day for less than three minutes at a time while maintaining the temperature. Once opened for longer, the vials can be kept at 2-7°C for five days.

Explained: full guide to Dubai's Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine campaign

Dubai visa holders will receive their first dose of Pfizer coronavirus vaccine from Wednesday with senior citizens and frontline workers being given priority.

The shot is initially available only for Dubai visa holders who are 60 and older, people with chronic diseases, and frontline workers. The vaccine will not be given to people younger than 18.

It is available at six health centres: Zabeel Primary Health Care Centre, Al Mizhar Primary Health Care Centre, Nad Al Hamr Primary Health Care Centre, Barsha Primary Health Care Centre, Uptown Mirdif Medical Fitness Centre and Hatta Hospital.

The vaccine is free and people who meet the criteria can book an appointment by calling the Dubai Health Authority hotline at 800 342.

Residents will be asked several questions prior to inoculation, including if they are pregnant, planning to get pregnant or breastfeeding.

They will be asked questions about their age and existing health conditions.

Should they meet the eligibility criteria to get the vaccine in its first phase, they will be able to book an appointment.

The DHA is expected to announce the next phase of the vaccine – and when other members of the public may be able to get it – soon.

The Ministry of Health announced the emergency registration of the vaccine, which showed 95 per cent efficacy against Covid-19 during the trials, late on Tuesday.

A video released by the officials overnight shows the first containers arriving on an Emirates airline flight from Brussels.

Doses must be kept at temperatures of minus 70°C to prevent the mRNA in them – the technology used to deliver the vaccines – from breaking down.