Amid the ongoing efforts to vaccinate the maximum population against COVID-19 in the UAE, several educational institutions in the country have set up Coronavirus vaccination centers on the campus. Significantly, they are organizing inoculation drives in order to support the national vaccination drive aimed at combating the pandemic crisis. As per reports, several universities are offering COVID-19 vaccines to faculty members, students, alumni, and their families with the aim of mitigating the spread of COVID-19.

In this regard, specialized administrative workers are formulating medical teams for smooth operations of the inoculation drives across the on-campus vaccination centers.

Speaking over the development, Dr. Karim Seghir, Ajman University (AU) chancellor, has said that the on-campus vaccination center has been launched in line with its commitment to harness the scientific research and logistical expertise to support the UAE’s efforts to combat COVID-19 and to serve the community. He asserted that all staff members, students, alumni, and their parents are receiving the vaccination facility at the AU center.

"We are proud that AU is the very first university in the UAE to provide free screening and vaccination services amid the current unprecedented circumstances in order to ensure the safety and health of the community and flatten the curve. We are looking forward to having our students back on campus soon," he added.

With the aim of returning to normal campus life, schools and varsities across the UAE have intensified their respective COVID-19 vaccination campaigns.

Dr. K.K. Singh, General Manager at the BITS Pilani Dubai Campus, has said that the campus launched its on-campus vaccination drive on March 11 in association with the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP). Dr. Singh noted that COVID-19 vaccine doses were administered to the students, faculty, staff, and their families during the drive and the response was very encouraging.

"People showed up in great numbers and adhered to all COVID-19 protocols during the process. This is indeed a great step towards a safer and more secure environment," Dr. Singh added.

In addition, some varsities are taking their sister schools under the ambit by organizing bus rides to and from each school to centers on the university campus as part of the initiative.

Dr. Vajahat Hussain, Amity Education ME CEO, affirmed that all staff members at the varsity have received the vaccination during the January campaign. The initiative was open to all students, staff, and family members across Amity institutions in Dubai and Sharjah, including Amity Early Learning Centre, Amity School Dubai, and Amity Private School Sharjah.

"We held a vaccination drive on our campus of Amity University Dubai on January 24. We organized a healthcare provider to administer both doses of the vaccine and PCR tests were also conducted to ensure that students and staff were COVID-free before taking the shot," Dr. Hussain added.

He noted that taking vaccination will help the UAE community in achieving a sense of normalcy and creating a safer environment for our youth. Significantly, the UAE has the highest rate of vaccinations in the world amid continuous efforts to protect all members of the community.

"We are fortunate to live and work in a country that has made the vaccination process swift and easy for all its residents. Our staff, teachers, and professors work closely and tirelessly with students of all ages. It is our duty to protect them and keep them safe," he added.

Meanwhile, Dubai schools are also urging parents to enroll their wards, particularly senior students, to get vaccinated during the drives in their respective schools.

Lalitha Suresh, Principal of GEMS Our Own Indian School, has underlined that the school will be registering all eligible students aged between 16-18 years of age for the Sinopharm vaccine. This is particularly crucial for students of Grades 11 and 12. In this regard, schools have sent out circulars to direct all parents concerned, for their approval for the vaccination drive.

"We are more than happy to organize this drive which is in line with the country’s efforts and we are eager to see our students back on campus, at the earliest," Lalitha Suresh added.