The first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine has been administered in the UAE, which was given to the country’s Minister of Health and Prevention, Abdul Rahman Mohammed Al Owais.
Per the UAE’s state news agency WAM, the vaccine was developed by Chinese drug maker Sinopharm and has undergone extensive testing in the UAE with over 31,000 volunteers taking part in the trial over the last couple of months.
The health minister received the first dose of the vaccine on Saturday after it was announced last week that approval was given by the UAE government for a COVID-19 vaccine to be administered on frontline workers including doctors, nurses and police.
Last Monday, Al Owais explained that the findings from the recent clinical trial – which was officially recognised by the World Health Organisation – were promising.
According to Al Owais, the results from the final stages from phase III of the trial, which began on July 16, showcase that the vaccine generates antibodies to the virus and seems to be effective.
“The vaccine’s safety has been reviewed and results show it is safe for use,” Al Owais also said.
The principal investigator and chairperson of the National Clinical Committee for Coronavirus, Dr Nawal A-Kaabi noted that the initial results are “encouraging”, but that studies will be ongoing.
“The initial results are encouraging in terms of the presence of antibodies in the body,” Dr Al Kaabi said.
