Dubai is setting a great precedent by offering free COVID-19 vaccine to all citizens and residents and it has now launched a free Pfizer-BioNTech vaccination campaign. The announcement was made on Twitter by Dubai's Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management on Tuesday, informing about the extensive vaccination drive in Dubai starting Wednesday.
BioNTech and Pfizer have been working together on a vaccine against COVID-19, which has been approved for emergency use in more than 45 countries around the world, including Britain, UK and the European Union. The UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention also announced emergency registration of BioNTech and Pfizer's vaccine on Tuesday.
With Dubai's new vaccination drive, those who get the shot are likely to be protected against the mutated strain of coronavirus, which was first detected in the UK. The ministry has made the vaccine available for free of cost.
This is great news for residents and citizens as BioNTech-Pfizer vaccine is proven to be 95 percent effective against the virus. It has been developed with new RNA technology using a manufactured fragment of coronavirus' genetic code. The vaccine is infected in the arm and comes in two doses three weeks apart.
Free vaccine by UAE
The announcement comes shortly after UAE announced that it would be offering free COVID-19 vaccines to all citizens and residents. China's Sinopharm is registered for use by UAE and is available freely in public and private clinics since earlier this month.
Sinopharm was proven to be 86 percent effective after testing was done on 31,000 volunteers in the UAE. In addition, UAE is also conducting volunteer programme for Phase 3 of Russia's Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine trial, which is limited to 500 members.
Where to get vaccine?
In Dubai, the free vaccines are available at Dubai Parks and Resorts field hospital. Similarly, all clinics run by Seha and hospitals and clinics run by VPS Healthcare in Abu Dhabi, Wasit Medical Centre in Sharjah, Al Humaidiya Centre in Ajman, Al Bait Metwahid centre in Umm Al Quwain, and Murashied Medical Centre in Fujairah are giving free jabs to citizens and residents.
