Follow the latest updates on the Covid-19 pandemic here
The UAE has made its nationwide vaccination campaign the driving force behind its efforts to combat the Covid-19 pandemic.
Since December, more than 15.5 million doses have been administered to the public.
Almost 74 per cent of people across the Emirates have received at least one dose, while more than 63 per cent are fully vaccinated after taking both doses of their chosen vaccine, according to latest figures from officials.
China's Sinopharm shot and Pfizer-BioNTech are by far the most widely used vaccines in the country, but there are five jabs approved by health officials.
The National examines the five vaccines powering the country's inoculation drive.
Sinopharm
China's Sinopharm vaccine was approved on December 9, providing the launchpad for the UAE's immunisation strategy. Developed by Beijing Bio-Institute of Biological Products, a subsidiary of China National Biotec Group, it is available nationwide.
The inactive vaccine, which contains a killed version of the germ that causes the coronavirus, was approved for emergency use by the World Health Organisation in May.
It recommended the vaccine for adults 18 years and older, in a two-dose schedule with a spacing of three to four weeks.
A study conducted in Abu Dhabi, where the vaccine has accounted for a large number of Covid-19 shots administered since the start of the mass vaccination campaign, found it was 100 per cent effective against death, 93 per cent effective in preventing hospitalisation and 95 per cent effective against admission to intensive care.
Its overall efficacy is 79 per cent, said Sinopharm.
Pfizer-BioNTech
Pfizer-BioNTech was approved for use by Dubai authorities in December before being rolled out in Abu Dhabi in May.
At the time, the UAE said the vaccine could be given to children aged between 12 and 15 on an emergency basis. This move supported efforts by schools to return to in-person learning.
The vaccine works by introducing a molecule to cells, known as messenger RNA (mRNA). Two doses are typically administered at three-week intervals.
The vaccine is "highly protective" six months after the second shot, according to analysis of a continuing trial involving 44,000 volunteers, Pfizer-BioNtech said.
The Pfizer BioNTech vaccine has an efficacy of 95% against symptomatic coronavirus infection.
Oxford-AstraZeneca
Dubai authorised use of the Swedish-British Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine in February.
The vaccine is given in two doses, 28 days apart. It uses a similar method to the Sputnik vaccine, essentially tricking the body into thinking it has been infected with Covid-19.
The vaccine is made from a weakened version of a common cold virus from chimpanzees. It has been modified to contain genetic material which is shared by the coronavirus, but it cannot cause the illness.
Once it is injected, it teaches the immune system how to fight the real virus.
Oxford-AstraZeneca said clinical trial results demonstrated the vaccine had 76 per cent efficacy after the first doses, rising to 82 per cent following a second dose given at least 12 weeks later.
Sputnik V
Russia's Sputnik V vaccine was approved for emergency use in January.
The decision was made after the UAE staged a small-scale Phase 3 trial of the vaccine, involving about 1,000 volunteers.
The shot, produced by Gamaleya National Centre of Epidemiology and Microbiology, has been widely used to limit the spread of Covid-19 in Russia.
Sputnik V is based on two inactivated viruses called adenoviruses that normally infect people.
These have had genetic material added so that, once the vaccine is injected, human cells produce coronavirus spike proteins. The immune response to these harmless spike proteins provides protection, should the person be later infected with the coronavirus.
The vaccine showed an efficacy rate of more than 91 per cent in UAE trials.
Moderna
Health officials on Sunday announced the Moderna vaccine had been granted emergency registration.
Moderna’s vaccine, similar to the Pfizer-BioNTech shot, uses mRNA technology and contains genetic instructions for the cells to make the coronavirus spike protein.
The shot, with a 94 per cent efficacy, is among the most effective at tackling the coronavirus and keeping patients out of hospital.
Moderna is an American pharmaceutical and biotechnology company with a focus on vaccine technologies.
A Dog's Journey
Directed by: Gail Mancuso
Starring: Dennis Quaid, Josh Gad, Marg Helgenberger, Betty Gilpin, Kathryn Prescott
3 out of 5 stars
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Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
AWARDS
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Meydan racecard:
6.30pm: Handicap | US$135,000 (Dirt) | 1,400 metres
7.05pm: Handicap | $135,000 (Turf) | 1,200m
7.40pm: Dubai Millennium Stakes | Group 3 | $200,000 (T) | 2,000m
8.15pm: UAE Oaks | Group 3 | $250,000 (D) | 1,900m
8.50pm: Zabeel Mile | Group 2 | $250,000 (T) | 1,600m
9.20pm: Handicap | $135,000 (T) | 1,600m
Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
The candidates
Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive
Ali Azeem, business leader
Tony Booth, professor of education
Lord Browne, former BP chief executive
Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist
Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist
Dr Mark Mann, scientist
Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner
Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister
Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster
The five stages of early child’s play
From Dubai-based clinical psychologist Daniella Salazar:
1. Solitary Play: This is where Infants and toddlers start to play on their own without seeming to notice the people around them. This is the beginning of play.
2. Onlooker play: This occurs where the toddler enjoys watching other people play. There doesn’t necessarily need to be any effort to begin play. They are learning how to imitate behaviours from others. This type of play may also appear in children who are more shy and introverted.
3. Parallel Play: This generally starts when children begin playing side-by-side without any interaction. Even though they aren’t physically interacting they are paying attention to each other. This is the beginning of the desire to be with other children.
4. Associative Play: At around age four or five, children become more interested in each other than in toys and begin to interact more. In this stage children start asking questions and talking about the different activities they are engaging in. They realise they have similar goals in play such as building a tower or playing with cars.
5. Social Play: In this stage children are starting to socialise more. They begin to share ideas and follow certain rules in a game. They slowly learn the definition of teamwork. They get to engage in basic social skills and interests begin to lead social interactions.
The bio
Favourite book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Favourite travel destination: Maldives and south of France
Favourite pastime: Family and friends, meditation, discovering new cuisines
Favourite Movie: Joker (2019). I didn’t like it while I was watching it but then afterwards I loved it. I loved the psychology behind it.
Favourite Author: My father for sure
Favourite Artist: Damien Hurst
Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD)
What is THAAD?
It is considered to be the US' most superior missile defence system.
Production:
It was first created in 2008.
Speed:
THAAD missiles can travel at over Mach 8, so fast that it is hypersonic.
Abilities:
THAAD is designed to take out projectiles, namely ballistic missiles, as they are on their downward trajectory towards their target, otherwise known as the "terminal phase".
Purpose:
To protect high-value strategic sites, such as airfields or population centres.
Range:
THAAD can target projectiles both inside and outside of the Earth's atmosphere, at an altitude of 93 miles above the Earth's surface.
Creators:
Lockheed Martin was originally granted the contract to develop the system in 1992. Defence company Raytheon sub-contracts to develop other major parts of the system, such as ground-based radar.
UAE and THAAD:
In 2011, the UAE became the first country outside of the US to buy two THAAD missile defence systems. It then deployed them in 2016, becoming the first Gulf country to do so.
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GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
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Details
Through Her Lens: The stories behind the photography of Eva Sereny
Forewords by Jacqueline Bisset and Charlotte Rampling, ACC Art Books
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
Types of fraud
Phishing: Fraudsters send an unsolicited email that appears to be from a financial institution or online retailer. The hoax email requests that you provide sensitive information, often by clicking on to a link leading to a fake website.
Smishing: The SMS equivalent of phishing. Fraudsters falsify the telephone number through “text spoofing,” so that it appears to be a genuine text from the bank.
Vishing: The telephone equivalent of phishing and smishing. Fraudsters may pose as bank staff, police or government officials. They may persuade the consumer to transfer money or divulge personal information.
SIM swap: Fraudsters duplicate the SIM of your mobile number without your knowledge or authorisation, allowing them to conduct financial transactions with your bank.
Identity theft: Someone illegally obtains your confidential information, through various ways, such as theft of your wallet, bank and utility bill statements, computer intrusion and social networks.
Prize scams: Fraudsters claiming to be authorised representatives from well-known organisations (such as Etisalat, du, Dubai Shopping Festival, Expo2020, Lulu Hypermarket etc) contact victims to tell them they have won a cash prize and request them to share confidential banking details to transfer the prize money.
* Nada El Sawy
if you go
The flights
Fly to Rome with Etihad (www.etihad.ae) or Emirates (www.emirates.com) from Dh2,480 return including taxes. The flight takes six hours. Fly from Rome to Trapani with Ryanair (www.ryanair.com) from Dh420 return including taxes. The flight takes one hour 10 minutes.
The hotels
The author recommends the following hotels for this itinerary. In Trapani, Ai Lumi (www.ailumi.it); in Marsala, Viacolvento (www.viacolventomarsala.it); and in Marsala Del Vallo, the Meliaresort Dimore Storiche (www.meliaresort.it).
Six large-scale objects on show
- Concrete wall and windows from the now demolished Robin Hood Gardens housing estate in Poplar
- The 17th Century Agra Colonnade, from the bathhouse of the fort of Agra in India
- A stagecloth for The Ballet Russes that is 10m high – the largest Picasso in the world
- Frank Lloyd Wright’s 1930s Kaufmann Office
- A full-scale Frankfurt Kitchen designed by Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky, which transformed kitchen design in the 20th century
- Torrijos Palace dome
Company%20profile
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The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
