Coronavirus: UAE administers more than 5 million vaccine doses

Authorities aim to inoculate half the country by the end of March

A Dubai ambulance worker is vaccinated with the Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine in Dubai.

An older resident receives her first shot at Zabeel Health Centre on December 27, 2020.

The vaccine is expected to be rolled out to all age groups once people in the essential categories have been vaccinated.

A nurse holds a dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, which was approved for use by Dubai's emergency and crisis authority and the federal Ministry of Health.

An employee from Roads and Transport Authority receives a dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in Dubai.

A woman receives a dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine at Zabeel Health Centre in Dubai on 27 December, 2020.

The city has six vaccine centres where the Pfizer-BioNTech shot is available.

A man waits to receive the first of two doses at Zabeel Health Centre in Dubai on 27 December, 2020.

A nurse opens a freezer at Barsha Health Centre. The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine must be kept at minus 70C when transported.

A nurse opens a freezer at Barsha Health Centre. The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine must be kept at minus 70C when transported.

A vial of the vaccine is seen at Barsha Health Centre. AFP

A nurse prepares a dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine at al-Barsha Health Centre in Dubai. AFP

The UAE has administered more than five million Covid-19 vaccine doses since the country's inoculation campaign began.

On Saturday, authorities announced that the Emirates reached the milestone after 103,469 doses given over the previous 24 hours.

The figure of 5,005,264 means that 50.61 doses have been given for every 100 people.

Patients must take two doses of a vaccine to be immunised against Covid-19.

The announcement was made as new cases fell, with 2,631 infections recorded. A further 15 deaths and 3,589 recoveries were reported.

The UAE forged ahead in the global race to vaccinate the public against Covid-19.

The Emirates administered a daily average of 1.62 doses for every 100 people from February 4 to 10.

The figure placed the country ahead of Israel (1.23 doses for every 100) during the same period, according to statistics compiled by the online scientific publication Our World in Data.

A major vaccination campaign was launched by the UAE in December to inoculate half the population by the end of March.