Covid-19: UAE records 62% drop in daily cases

Dubai - A top official credited the country’s robust Covid-19 vaccination drive and mass testing for the achievement.

The UAE has seen a 62 per cent drop in daily Covid-19 cases in August, as compared to January this year.

The UAE had recorded 1,856 cases on January 1, which soared to 3,407 by January 15 and a month-high of 3,966 on January 28. In contrast, daily infections dipped below the 1,000 mark for the first time in eight months on August 24. It has remained below 1,000 for the last eight days.

A top official credited the country’s robust Covid-19 vaccination drive and mass testing for the achievement. As on August 31, over 87 per cent of the UAE’s residents have received at least one dose of the vaccine, while 76.12 per cent are fully vaccinated.

Dr Farida Al Hosani, the official spokesperson of the UAE health sector, said booster Covid-19 shots given to eligible residents also helped keep the infection count low. This is because booster shots help increase immunity against the coronavirus.

Booster shots are given to those who have taken the Sinopharm vaccine - six months after the second dose. Other vaccinations do not require a booster dose yet. “We urge residents to get the booster shot if they are eligible,” the official added.

Another factor that helped keep the country safe from the infection spread was residents’ awareness in following Covid-19 safety rules. For the first time since Covid-19 broke, a long holiday – the Eid Al Adha break – did not cause a spike in the number of infections. Earlier, the viral caseloads had dramatically soared 15 days after New Year’s Eve and Eid Al Fitr celebrations.

Vaccines for students

Dr Farida urged parents to get their children vaccinated against Covid-19. “Vaccines are available for all age groups across the country,” she said.

“Our children are the source of our happiness and it is our duty to keep them safe. Vaccination can boost immunity to produce antibodies and thus reduce the chance of a Covid-19 infection among them.”

sahim@khaleejtimes.com