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Get Covid jab to end pandemic: Emirati among first to get Dubai Pfizer vaccine

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Dubai - The 84-year-old Ali Salem Ali Al Adidi reveals how he feels after getting the jab.

Published: Wed 23 Dec 2020, 9:46 PM

Updated: Thu 24 Dec 2020, 12:38 AM

  • By
  • Saman Haziq

Urging the public to get the newly-rolled out Covid-19 vaccination in order to get “normalcy” back to life, an 84-year-old Emirati Ali Salem Ali Al Adidi was among the first few to take the jab on Wednesday.

Al Adidi, who has diabetes and who has previously had heart surgery, said he was approached by Dubai Health Authority officials to take the Pfizer- BioNTech vaccine as he was in the high-risk category and more vulnerable to Covid-19 given his age.

Also read: Dubai's free Covid-19 Pfizer vaccine drive: How to book a jab

Pfizer Covid jab UAE: Dubai vaccinates first few residents

“After conducting some tests, I was given the go-ahead by the DHA doctors and I happily took the jab at a DHA centre today. I feel completely fine after taking it and there have been no side effects or uneasiness,” he said, flashing His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai’s famous three-finger salute denoting win, victory and love, and expressing his pride and happiness after taking the jab.

Being one of the oldest to receive the vaccine shot, Al Adidi said he has witnessed many plagues and diseases in his lifetime but was happy how the UAE leadership is handling the Covid-19 pandemic, trying to bring normalcy back to life by introducing precautionary measures. “ Everyone must get the Covid-19 vaccine so we can get back to living like pre-Covid times and avoid any further lockdowns,” he said.

Setting an example for the people of their city and showing their keenness to protect the public from risk of infection, a number of Emiratis as well as government employees came forward to volunteer for the newly rolled out Pfizer- BioNTech vaccination drive launched in Dubai on Wednesday. These included representatives from the Dubai Police, the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), Dubai Ambulance and DHA who willingly volunteered to take the vaccine that has a proven efficacy of up to 95 per cent.

The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine has recently been approved for use by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and registered by the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention.

In the first phase of the rollout of the campaign, the Dubai Health Authority said it will target four main categories; the first category includes Emirati and resident elders aged 60 years and above, people with chronic diseases and people of determination; the second category includes frontline workers in both the public and private sectors; the third category includes vital-sector workers; and the fourth category includes members of the public who wish to get vaccinated.

The first batch of Covid-19 vaccines manufactured by Pfizer-BioNTech landed in Dubai from Brussels via Emirates SkyCargo late on Tuesday night. The shipment of the Pfizer vaccine was offloaded and cleared on a priority basis on arrival at Emirates’ dedicated SkyPharma facility.

Geared up to store the Covid-19 vaccines, Emirates SkyCargo has set up the world’s largest dedicated airside storage and distribution hub for Covid-19 vaccines in Dubai with the capacity to store up to an estimated 10 million doses of vaccine at the 2-8C temperature range at any one point of time.

The vaccinations will be available at six DHA health facilities that include: Zabeel Primary Health Care Centre, Al Mizhar Primary Health Care Centre, Nad Al Hamr Primary Health Care Centre, Barsha Primary Health Care Centre, Uptown Mirdif Medical Fitness Centre and Hatta Hospital.

UAE residents can register and book appointments for vaccination through the DHA app or the DHA’s toll-free number 800 342.

saman@khaleejtimes.com



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