UAE’s Ministry of Health and Prevention urged all its residents, who are eligible for Covid-19 vaccination to book their appointment for the inoculation starting from Sunday, March 21. Emirati at the most risk of catching the virus infection has been granted the six-week priority timeline. The official statement carried by WAM stated that the ones eligible for vaccination, “including citizens and residents aged 16 and above, can now get inoculated for free in any of the 205 vaccination locations available nationwide”.

The statement added that “those opting for vaccination to get prior booking as those who are most vulnerable to infection will continue to be received by vaccination centers without prior booking”. The country’s health authorities have put senior citizens and people suffering from chronic diseases, such as heart, diabetes, and respiratory illnesses on its priority list for the vaccination drive.

On Saturday, Dr. Abdul Rahman bin Mohammad bin Nasser Al Owais, UAE Minister of Health and Prevention, said that over 72 percent of elderly residents and the ones ailing from chronic diseases have been inoculated and about 57 percent of the eligible population have been inoculated against the disease. Besides, the ministry has urged all its residents to get vaccinated to keep the coronavirus infection surge in check.

The Arab nation has approved the use of four Covid vaccines for emergency uses Sinopharm; Pfizer-BioNTech; Sputnik V; and Oxford-AstraZeneca. The country has been striving to shield its entire population with the massive nation-wide vaccination drive which so far has covered over 52 % of the target population against COVID-19.

On Saturday, Dr. Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, Chairman of the National COVID-19 Crisis Recovery Management and Governance Committee, lauded the country’s leadership for its contrition towards the success of the National Vaccination Campaign. Praising the country’s leadership’s vision and forward-thinking, the UAE minister said, "The UAE's leadership has set an exemplary example in addressing the coronavirus crisis.”

WAM