Frontline heroes and senior Emiratis and residents are lining up to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine shot as part of the free vaccination campaign launched by the Dubai government last week. UAE media hailed the development as a reassuring testimony of the UAE government's pioneering efforts in the ongoing battle against the COVID-19 pandemic.

In its recent editorial, Gulf News wrote: "That reassurance comes at a jittery moment for much of the world."

Noting that the world has waited for almost a year to find a cure for Coronavirus, there was a new hope to combat the global health emergency when a handful of vaccines were approved across various parts of the globe.

Gulf News further added that scientists have mobilized their efforts to assured the public that the newly-developed vaccines are effective to fight the new mutant strains of the Coronavirus. This development has come after a new COVID-19 strain was developed in the UK and is spreading rapidly across Europe and other parts of the world.

"The vaccine is thus our new passport to regain the life that we all yearn for from getting children back in school to people back in offices to factories fully rolling to social gatherings, entertainment and travelling. The virus might not be static, but we can be steadfast in our determination to root out this pandemic," the paper added.

The paper also affirmed that the best way to fight the virus is to take the vaccine at the earliest possible opportunity. It further hailed the UAE government's rapid approval and roll-out of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccination campaign. Developed by Sinopharm unit CNBG, the vaccine was approved by the authorities after all clinical trials achieved success in the country.

Gulf News noted that the UAE government rapidly registered and deployed both the vaccines, keeping the vulnerable segments of the community in priority. It allowed the vulnerable sections to receive the vaccine before others and made it free of charge for the entire population.

"The UAE has once again shown its commitment and leadership in battling this pandemic," the paper affirmed

The UAE has emerged as a global leader in mass testing for COVID-19 as well as partnering with scientists and drug manufacturers to carry out vaccine research. According to data from John Hopkins, UAE's case-fatality rate of 0.3% has been among the lowest worldwide. In addition, the UAE has stood at the frontline of the global fight against the pandemic crisis, giving its citizens and residents a renewed hope during the dreadful year for the community.

WAM