Dubai has approved the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to be administered in the emirate.
It was announced via the Dubai Media Office Twitter account that the Dubai Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management will launch an “extensive vaccination campaign against COVID-19” on Wednesday, December 23.
The Pfizer vaccine, which has been revealed to be 95 per cent effective in studies, will be free of charge.
#Dubai’s Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management: Extensive vaccination campaign against Covid-19 kicks off in Dubai on Wednesday. Vaccination will use Pfizer-BioNTech’s vaccine and is free of charge.
— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) December 22, 2020
Neighbouring nation Saudi Arabia has also already approved the vaccine as well as, the UK, Canada and USA.
The first batch of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine arrived in Dubai from Brussels on Tuesday night, per a post from the Dubai Media Office. It was shipped on an Emirates SkyCargo flight.
#Dubai receives first batch of Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccines transported from Brussles to Dubai on @Emirates SkyCargo flight. The shipment was offloaded and cleared on priority basis on arrival at Emirates’ dedicated SkyPharma facility. pic.twitter.com/JDhoUzvfgA
— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) December 22, 2020
This approval of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine comes after a trial began in the UAE over the summer testing the Sinopharm vaccine.
After three months after the COVID-19 vaccine began to be administered in the UAE a couple of months ago, and it’s now been determined that it is 86 per cent effective following the trials.
The Sinopharm vaccine has been officially registered in the UAE, with health authorities saying that the “analysis [from the trial of 31,000 people] shows no serious safety concerns”.
High-up government officials including His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, the Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and the Ruler of Dubai, Her Excellency Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaab, the Minister of Culture and Youth and more have already received the vaccine.
