Coronavirus: Dubai reschedules Pfizer/BioNTech shots amid global shortage

Emirate’s health authorities say appointments for second dose are unaffected

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

Dubai Health Authority is rescheduling appointments for the first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech shot amid a global supply crunch.

On Saturday the authority said it would provide a new appointment for those booked in for their first vaccine.

Those who already received their first shot and had an appointment for the second were not affected, it said.

“The DHA will communicate the new appointment for the first dose of the vaccine to customers via SMS at the earliest,” the authority said.

Countries across the world are facing shortages because of a cut in deliveries of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

Germany and parts of Italy have suspended administering first shots of the vaccine despite a resurgence of the virus.

Pfizer-BioNTech said it had to delay shipments for the next few weeks because of work to increase capacity at its Belgian processing plant.

This was acknowledged by the authority in its alert.

Pfizer-BioNTech is not the only manufacturer to be hit by delays. AstraZeneca said production problems meant quantity of its vaccine, made in partnership with Oxford University, would initially be lower than expected.

Two vaccines are currently available in the UAE – those of Pfizer-BioNTech and Chinese company Sinopharm.

Authorities in the UAE aim to reach 50 per cent of the population by the end of March.