The Expo 2020 Dubai steering committee has urged all official participants to get their free COVID-19 vaccine doses at the event. The development has come in line with the vaccination drive introduced by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the emirate’s Executive Council to protect all participants from the disease.

The Expo 2020 Dubai Steering Committee held a meeting on Thursday to discuss various aspects related to the event. During the meeting, the committee hailed Sheikh Hamdan’s proposal to provide free vaccinations to all official participants and their staff. The committee also discussed necessary safety measures to be implemented at the mega event to ensure the health and welfare of all participants.

Represented by over 190 participating nations, the committee comprises commissioners-general from 34 countries.

Addressing the meeting, Manuel Salchli, chair of the committee and commissioner-general for Switzerland at Expo 2020, stressed the importance of safeguarding health and wellbeing of all participants throughout the planning process and operations of all World Expos.

"It is very important that all official participants should benefit from the UAE’s generous offer to vaccinate their delegations. It is the collective responsibility of all the countries to support this initiative," Salchli added.

For his part, Clayton Kimpton, commissioner-general for New Zealand at Expo 2020, explained various levels of COVID-19 safety measures implemented at the mega event this year.

"From the installation of thermal cameras and sanitisation stations across the site to mandatory face-mask wearing and implementation of social-distancing regulations, strict measures have been put in place at the Expo 2020," he said.

Earlier this week, the steering committee met for the sixth and final International Participants Meeting (IPM). In January 2021, the Expo launched a vaccination drive to inoculate all employees and their households against the disease.