Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccine now available in all UAE health centres

Health authorities hope to encourage vaccination among at-risk groups

Dr Nawal Al Kaabi, chair of the National Covid-19 Clinical Management Committee and Dr Walid Zaher, vaccine project leader at G42 Healthcare, pictured in Abu Dhabi. Their teams will lead a plan to produce the Sinopharm vaccine in the UAE this year. Victor Besa / The National

Dr Al Kaabi, pictured with Ashish Koshy, chief executive of Sinopharm vaccine trial partner G42 Healthcare, said the country aims to inoculate 70 per cent of the population to achieve herd immunity. Victor Besa / The National

Al Ain resident Aysha Mohammed Ahmad Ali holds a thumbs up after receiving her first shot of the Sinopharm vaccine at Burjeel hospital in Abu Dhabi in December. Victor Besa / The National

A medic at Burjeel Hospital in downtown Abu Dhabi holds a dose of the vaccine developed by Chinese drug maker Sinopharm. Victor Besa / The National

A nurse carries out a consultation with Abu Dhabi resident Saqib Ali before he receives the free shot. Victor Besa / The National

Al Ain resident Aysha Mohammed Ahmad Ali travelled to Abu Dhabi City from Al Ain to get vaccinated. Victor Besa / The National

A medic at Burjeel Hospital in downtown Abu Dhabi holds a dose of the vaccine developed by Chinese drug maker Sinopharm. Victor Besa / The National

Medical staff at Burjeel Hospital pictured on the first day of vaccine shots. Victor Besa / The National

Dr Haifaa Fadl Nourin is pictured at the hospital's Covid-19 vaccination clinic, which was set up in Burjeel's cancer wing. Victor Besa / The National

Bunyanuch Janta, from Thailand, waits for her turn to get vaccinated on Sunday. Victor Besa / The National

Emiratis Jaber Humaid, left and Omran Al Khoori pictured after receiving the first of two shots. Victor Besa / The National

Dr Ayman Mohamed Abdelhady gets vaccinated at Burjeel Hospital on Sunday. Victor Besa / The National

A Covid-19 vaccine developed by Sinopharm is now available across all health centres in the country - after previously being limited to mostly government and some private hospitals.

The Ministry of Health and Prevention on Thursday said the vaccine was made available everywhere to encourage people above 18, and specifically the elderly or individuals with chronic illnesses, to get inoculated.

Developed by scientists at China’s state-owned pharmaceutical enterprise, the vaccine follows the tried-and-tested route of training the body’s immune system to detect and destroy viruses using injections of deactivated virus.

Health authorities in the UAE initially found the vaccine to be 86 per cent effective in preventing Covid-19. This week, Sinopharm said Phase-3 trials of the vaccine found it was 79 per cent effective against the virus.

On Thursday, Dr Hussein Al Rand, assistant under-secretary for Centres and Health Clinics, said people more prone to infection were being prioritised in the free, voluntary vaccination campaign.

The approved vaccine requires two doses. The first is taken following an assessment of the patient’s health while the second is administered up to 28 days.

Previously, the vaccine was only available at government clinics, some majales and hospitals run by the private company VPS Healthcare, as well as Mediclinic's Al Noor Hospital in the capital.