1 in 20 Covid-19 vaccines came through Dubai on Emirates, airline says

59 million doses have been transported to 50 destinations by Emirates SkyCargo

A worker attaches Covax stickers to a shipment of the AstraZeneca vaccine flown by Emirates airline to Felix Houphouet Boigny International Airport in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. AFP

The AstraZeneca vaccine shipment is unloaded from a plane in Abidjan. Ivory Coast received 504,000 doses of the vaccine. AFP

A shipment of more than 500,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine arrives in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, as part of the Covax initiative. AFP

The shipment of AstraZeneca vaccine is part of the Covax initiative, a global effort to procure and distribute shots free of charge. AFP

Boxes of the AstraZeneca vaccine are unloaded from an Emirates flight in the Ivory Coast. AFP

Emirates delivers 504,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine to Abidjan, Ivory Coast. AFP

One in every 20 Covid-19 vaccines administered around the world has gone through Dubai via Emirates SkyCargo, according to the airline.

Since October 2020, 59 million doses of six different vaccines have been transported to 50 destinations by the Dubai-based carrier.

It is estimated that around one billion doses of Covid-19 vaccine have been administered around the world.

The air freight division of Emirates airline has been a key player in transporting Covid-19 vaccines, as well as other essential pharmaceuticals, PPE and food supplies during the pandemic.

In January, Emirates SkyCargo teamed up with logistics and port company DP World, Dubai Airports and International Humanitarian City, a global hub for dealing with humanitarian emergencies, to form the Dubai Vaccine Logistics Alliance.

The alliance works to facilitate the rapid transport of Covid-19 vaccines and related medical supplies through Dubai to developing countries.

In February 2021, Emirates SkyCargo also started working with Unicef to transport Covid-19 vaccines under the Covax initiative, which aims to brings vaccines to poorer countries.

In Abu Dhabi, the Hope Consortium aims to deliver billions of Covid-19 vaccine doses around the world by the end of the year.

Launched last November, the initiative is run by the Department of Health Abu Dhabi, Etihad Cargo, Abu Dhabi Ports Company, healthcare procurement system Rafed, which is part of ADQ, and SkyCell, which manufactures temperature-controlled airfreight containers.

Earlier this month, the Hope Consortium took delivery of 32 additional ultra-cold freezers for vaccine storage.

The upgrade boosted the centre’s ultra-cold storage capacity, which keeps vials at minus 80°C, from four million to 11.4 million doses.

The UAE has also made rapid progress in vaccinating its own citizens and residents against Covid-19, with more than 10 million doses of vaccines administered to date.

Emirates recently operated a special flight EK2021, to celebrate the UAE’s progress in its vaccination drive.

Coronavirus: the latest from India in pictures