Dubai will begin allowing Emirati citizens and residents above the age of 60 to take the Sinopharm coronavirus vaccine starting from January 31, the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) announced on Saturday.
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The move comes as part of the DHA’s efforts to provide all members of the public with the opportunity to choose between the different vaccines available in the country, the authority said in a statement.
Currently only two vaccines are available in the United Arab Emirates, the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and the Sinopharm vaccine.
Health authorities had previously advised the elderly to sign up to receive the Pfizer dose.
“Providing the Sinopharm vaccine is part of the DHA’s keenness to ensure the availability of COVID-19 vaccination services to all segments of the community, especially the older age groups who are considered to be among the high-risk categories,” said CEO of DHA’s Clinical Support Services and Nursing Sector and Chairperson of the COVID-19 Vaccination Steering Committee Dr Farida Al Khaja.
“In the first phase of the launch of the vaccine, the DHA’s Contact Centre will reach out to those who already have pre-registered appointments for vaccination.”
The Sinopharm vaccine will be available at Nad al-Hamr Health Centre, al-Twar Health Centre and the al-Mankhool Health Centre, the DHA said.
The authority urged the public to continue to adhere to coronavirus countermeasures even after they receive their vaccinations.
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Last Update: Saturday, 30 January 2021 KSA 16:30 – GMT 13:30
