São Paulo – China’s Sinopharm vaccine started being given in the United Arab Emirates earlier this week and is widely available in Abu Dhabi and in certain clinics of Dubai and other emirates, newspaper The National reported in its website. The newspaper also published a list of the venues where it can be found. Pictured above, a novel coronavirus screening center.
The vaccine campaign began in Abu Dhabi earlier this week and has been extended to Dubai and other emirates. The vaccine is available at all clinics run by Abu Dhabi Health Services (SEHA) and at hospitals run by the private company VPS Healthcare.
The UAE approved the Sinopharm vaccine for use after phase-3 trials. The country’s Ministry of Health said last week it had approved a request from the Chinese drug maker. The vaccine was widely trialed in the UAE in a campaign involving 31,000 people.
This makes the UAE one of the first countries to start widespread inoculation, after the United Kingdom became the first to roll out a campaign using a vaccine by Pfizer BionTech. The Sinopharm vaccine – which is being found to be 86 per cent effective according to trials – was developed by Beijing Institute of Biological Products and Chinese drugs giant Sinopharm.
Translated by Guilherme Miranda
