UAE approves new Sinopharm vaccine to be used as booster

Shot will be manufactured and distributed by Hayat Biotech and be available to the public in January, 2022

All school staff and children aged 16 and over must be vaccinated to enter school premises in Abu Dhabi. All photos: Khushnum Bhandari / The National

Dalaa Alaa Aladwan, 14, from Rosary School is vaccinated at Seha Vaccination Centre, Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal, Zayed Port.

Abdullah Al Mansoori, 17, a student at Zayed University, is vaccinated before entering the army at Seha Vaccination Centre, Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal, Zayed Port.

Nour Khaled, 14, is vaccinated before attending Al Najah Private School in September.

Miranda Mali, 33, a kindergarten teacher at Sharjah American International School, is vaccinated before school begins.

A nurse explains how vaccination works to Kavita Kumari, a Hindi teacher at Sunrise English Private School.

A nurse prepares the vaccine kit at Seha Vaccination Centre, Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal, Zayed Port.

Dalaa Alaa Aladwan, 14, from Rosary School, signs forms to be vaccinated.

Nurses speak with patients at the Seha Vaccination Centre, Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal, Zayed Port.

The registration area at Seha Vaccination Centre, Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal, Zayed Port.

Nurses work at Seha Vaccination Centre, Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal, Zayed Port.

A new vaccine from Chinese manufacturer Sinopharm CNBG has been approved for emergency use in the UAE.

The Ministry of Health and Prevention announced on Monday that a study had been carried out on the new “recombinant protein-based vaccine” in the UAE, and that it would be used as a booster for those who had previously received two doses of the inactive Sinopharm vaccine.

Recombinant protein vaccines target the spike protein that the virus uses to enter human cells.

The study showed improved immunity against the virus and was effective against variants.

The vaccine will be available to the public as a booster dose starting in January 2022 in further attempts to contain the spread of Covid-19.

The ministry also announced the new vaccine will be manufactured and distributed by Hayat Biotech, a joint venture between Sinopharm and G42.

Hayat-Vax is the locally-produced version of the inactive Sinopharm vaccine also made at the Hayat Biotech plant and is a key part of the UAE's strategy to support inoculation drives both at home and abroad.

Sinopharm's new booster shot is similar to Hayat-Vax in that it can be kept at normal fridge temperatures, making it easier to use in low-income countries than mRNA vaccines, which need ultra-cold storage.

The UAE recorded 1,732 new Covid-19 cases on Monday, bringing the total number of cumulative infections to 753,065.

One person died, taking the death toll to 2,159.

Another 608 people recuperated from the virus, raising the number of recoveries to 741,933.

The latest cases were identified as a result of the administration of an additional 325,097 PCR tests.

Daily case numbers have risen sharply this month, from less than 50 in early December.

But authorities have ramped up testing and introduced new rules to protect public health.

A look inside the UAE's Hayat-Vax production plant