Dubai starts free COVID-19 vaccination program

DUBAI: Dubai’s Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management on Wednesday started an extensive COVID-19 vaccination program using the jab developed by Pfizer-BioNTech, and be provided free of charge.

“The first phase of the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccination campaign, it will target four main categories; the first category includes Emirati & resident elders aged 60 years and above, people with chronic diseases, people of determination, frontliners & vital-sector workers,” the Dubai Media Office said in a tweet.
It came as the UAE’s Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP) announced that emergency registration of the vaccine has been approved. The decision was made following a request by Pfizer for approval so that health authorities can begin to import the vaccine. The Emirates is one of the first countries to register and approve it.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health and Prevention reported 1,246 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, bringing the total number of recorded cases in the UAE to 197,124. The total number of cases in the country now stands at 195,878. The death toll stands at 645.

During daily inspections, Dubai Economy issued a warning to one establishment for failing to adhere to COVID-19 precautions. Inspectors found 344 other businesses to be compliant.
The UAE government urged the public to avoid spreading unsubstantiated rumors about the new strain of the coronavirus, and to continue to take preventive measures.
Abu Dhabi’s Department of Culture and Tourism said the emirate will begin to welcome back international tourists from Dec. 24, thanks to the “successes achieved by implementing the precautionary measures to curb the spread of COVID-19 and maintaining a low rate of confirmed cases.”

In a message posted on Twitter, the authority said all visitors will have to take a PCR test on the sixth day of their stay in the emirate if they are staying for six consecutive days or more, and on the 12th day if they are staying for 12 consecutive days or more.
On Monday, Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge said all pupils of age 12 and above will be required to take a PCR test if they intend to attend school in person during the coming term, which begins on Jan. 3.
“The PCR tests will be provided free of charge on a specific date for each school from Dec. 21 to 31 at designated health-screening centers,” the authority said in a message on its website.

Sharjah Police said it has deployed more of its “K9” sniffer dogs in an effort to find COVID-19 cases in the emirate. The dogs, whose accuracy in detecting cases of infection is estimated at 92 percent, are also on duty at Sharjah International Airport, where they can also sniff out contraband substances.
Elsewhere, Kuwait recorded 298 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total in the country to 148,507. The death toll there has reached 923 after one more patient died.

Oman’s Health Ministry confirmed 212 new cases and one additional death, bringing the totals in the country to 128,143 and 1,490 respectively.

In Bahrain, zero deaths was reported, keeping the death toll to 350, while 184 new infected cases were confirmed.