Sinopharm still being used alongside Pfizer-BioNTech, Abu Dhabi health authority says

Seha says first and second doses of both the vaccines, along with a booster shot, are available

Dubai Parks and Resorts vaccination centre accepts people from 9am to 5pm. People can receive Sinopharm or Pfizer-BioNTech

Nearly 5,000 people are inoculated daily at Dubai Parks and Resorts vaccination centre. All photos by Pawan Singh / The National.

Dr Mohammad Nour Al Saeed says the centre started vaccinating 600 people daily when it was first set up but the numbers have now reached 5,000

The centre also accepts walk-ins but people must register on arrival and undergo a comprehensive health assessment to confirm eligibility

People can receive the Sinopharm or Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine at the centre

The Sinopharm vaccine will continue to be used alongside Pfizer-BioNTech, Abu Dhabi's health authority said.

First and second shots, along with a booster dose, of the Chinese-made vaccine remain available in the 60-plus hospitals, clinics and tents that it oversees.

The Pfizer coronavirus vaccines were introduced extensively in Abu Dhabi and across the UAE in recent weeks.

Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (Seha) said the suggestion that Sinopharm would be phased out in any way, which was spread on WhatsApp groups, was not accurate.

"Members of the community can receive dose one and dose two, or the booster shot, of the Sinopharm CNBG vaccine, or dose 1 and dose 2 of Pfizer-BioNTech," it said.

Seha runs Abu Dhabi's publicly owned hospitals, along with most drive-through vaccine centres nationwide, and has overseen much of the vaccination programme with Department of Health Abu Dhabi.

Sinopharm and Pfizer vaccines are widely available in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and the rest of the emirates.

Walk-ins are accepted at clinics in the capital but it is best to book online elsewhere.

To book a vaccine shot or a test with Seha, in Abu Dhabi or in centres across the emirates, you can visit this portal.

To book a vaccine shot with Dubai Health Authority, which runs public hospitals and regulates all private hospitals, download the app here.

The government has advised people against mixing two different vaccines and urged them to wait six months before seeking a booster shot.

There is significant demand for Pfizer shots among residents who wish to travel this summer to countries in Europe.

A number of European Union member states are yet to recognise the World Health Organisation-approved Sinopharm, though that is set to be reviewed in the coming weeks.

Inside a Dubai vaccine hall - in pictures