Dubai dedicates three clinics to Sinopharm vaccine for Emiratis and over 60s only

The city's medical authority rolls out Sinopharm following local and global shortages of Pfizer-BioNTech

UAE residents of all ages are eligible for the Sinopharm shot, which is available across the seven emirates. All photos by Victor Besa / The National

People register for the vaccine at Seha's cruise ship terminal vaccine centre

Both the government and employers have urged the public to get vaccinated, as the country faces record daily numbers of new cases

An Abu Dhabi resident waits to receive her first shot at the Seha vaccination centre at Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal.

Sisters Aya and Jana register for the vaccine shot

Suzana and husband Novica Ristovic get vaccinated pictured with the advice brochures given to all volunteers

Shaikha Al Dheiri waits to be called in for the first of two shots that are necessary to provide protection against the virus

The Seha Vaccination Centre at Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal can serve up to 3,000 people per day. Victor Besa / The National 

The vaccination Centre at Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal

A medic holds up a package containing the Chinese-made Sinopharm vaccine

Emirati Abdulaziz Karmastaji gets a basic blood oxygen check before his vaccination

Two shots are required 21 days apart to ensure people have sufficient antibodies to protect them

A man is inoculated at Seha Vaccination Centre in the Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal

Mohamed Hawas Al Sadid, chief executive of Abu Dhabi's public hospital operator Seha, oversees the vaccination drive

The Seha Vaccination Centre at Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal can serve up to 3,000 people per day

Dubai will dedicate three clinics to deliver the Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccine to Emiratis and over-60s only.

The move follows local and global shortages of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, which Dubai approved and rolled out in limited numbers from December.

The Sinopharm shots - which were trialled in Abu Dhabi and were already available in all seven emirates - will be given at Nad Al Hamr, Al Twar and Al Mankhool health centres from Sunday, January 31.

DHA officials did not specifically state if non-Emiratis and under-60s would be excluded from getting the vaccine at this time - but suggested appointments could be pushed back.

"In the first phase of the launch of the vaccine, the DHA's Contact Centre will reach out to those who already have appointments for vaccination," said Dr Farida Al Khaja, chief executive of DHA's clinical support services and nursing sector.

Sinopharm remains available to all residents at Dubai Parks and Resorts theme park, which is run by Abu Dhabi's government hospital operator Seha.

Doses of Pfizer-BioNTech were available to people over 60, anyone with chronic diseases, people with disabilities, frontline workers and those in essential sectors.

That vaccine was available only to Dubai residents who fall into the above categories, and had been planned for a wider roll-out from April, before shortages hit.