Coronavirus: Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine approved for use in Abu Dhabi

Latest: UAE to consider 'movement restrictions' in new vaccine push

Abu Dhabi has approved the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for use in the emirate.

The treatment is available at select clinics in Abu Dhabi city, Al Ain and Al Dhafrah, by appointment only.

It is the second Covid-19 vaccine to be made available in Abu Dhabi, which began a mass vaccine campaign in mid-December using a shot produced by Chinese company Sinopharm.

Pfizer received emergency approval in the UAE in December after trials showed it was 95 per cent effective. Dubai started distributing it that month.

The vaccine works by introducing a molecule to cells, known as messenger RNA (mRNA).

The molecule teaches cells to make a protein from the Sars-CoV-2 virus that causes Covid-19.

The body detects this protein and triggers an immune response, which creates antibodies.

Over the past few months, it has been shown to be highly effective in the real world.

In Israel, where about 56 per cent of the population is vaccinated with Pfizer, infections have plummeted, with only 152 new cases on Monday from a high of 10,000 in February.

Data from the country showed that two doses of the vaccine was at least 97 per cent effective in preventing symptomatic disease, severe or critical disease and death.

Research into Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine

In the US, a single dose was 80 per cent effective at preventing infections, which jumped to 90 per cent two weeks after the second shot, the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said.

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.

Sinopharm vaccine more than 90 per cent effective at preventing hospitalisation, Abu Dhabi study says

Sinopharm vaccine efficacy compatible with WHO requirements

The company said people will probably need a booster dose six to 12 months after being fully vaccinated. Thereafter it is possible people will need to be vaccinated every year.

"A likely scenario is that there will be a need for a third dose, somewhere between six and 12 months and then from there, there will be an annual revaccination," Pfizer chief executive Albert Bourla said.

"But all of that needs to be confirmed. And again, the variants will play a key role."

The efficacy of Sinopharm

This week, authorities revealed that the Sinopharm vaccine, the only one used in Abu Dhabi until now, was more than 90 per cent effective at keeping infected people out of hospital.

A study by the Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre, found that by far most of those who were infected after completing the course suffered only mild symptoms and did not require treatment.

The Pfizer vaccine is now available at:

Abu Dhabi

Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi

Healthpoint Hospital

Capital Health Screening centres: Al Jazeera Sports Club, Mubadala Tower in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain city branch

SEHA: Al Zafranah Diagnostic and Screening Centre, Madinat Mohamed bin Zayed Healthcare Centre and Al Bahia Healthcare Centre

Al Ain

SEHA: Oud Al Touba Diagnostic and Screening Centre and Neima Healthcare Centre

Al Dhafra

Al Dhafra Family Medicine Centre

To book an appointment at SEHA clinics, call 800 50.

To book at Cleveland Clinic, Healthpoint or Capital Screening Centres, email mcv@telemed.ae or call 800 4959.

Sinopharm is available at more than 100 clinics in Abu Dhabi by appointment or walk-in.

Watch: 30 million masks produced annually in Al Ain plant.

Key facilities

Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
Premier League-standard football pitch
400m Olympic running track
NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
600-seat auditorium
Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
Specialist robotics and science laboratories
AR and VR-enabled learning centres
Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills

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Email sent to Uber team from chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi

From: Dara

To: Team@

Date: March 25, 2019 at 11:45pm PT

Subj: Accelerating in the Middle East

Five years ago, Uber launched in the Middle East. It was the start of an incredible journey, with millions of riders and drivers finding new ways to move and work in a dynamic region that’s become so important to Uber. Now Pakistan is one of our fastest-growing markets in the world, women are driving with Uber across Saudi Arabia, and we chose Cairo to launch our first Uber Bus product late last year.

Today we are taking the next step in this journey—well, it’s more like a leap, and a big one: in a few minutes, we’ll announce that we’ve agreed to acquire Careem. Importantly, we intend to operate Careem independently, under the leadership of co-founder and current CEO Mudassir Sheikha. I’ve gotten to know both co-founders, Mudassir and Magnus Olsson, and what they have built is truly extraordinary. They are first-class entrepreneurs who share our platform vision and, like us, have launched a wide range of products—from digital payments to food delivery—to serve consumers.

I expect many of you will ask how we arrived at this structure, meaning allowing Careem to maintain an independent brand and operate separately. After careful consideration, we decided that this framework has the advantage of letting us build new products and try new ideas across not one, but two, strong brands, with strong operators within each. Over time, by integrating parts of our networks, we can operate more efficiently, achieve even lower wait times, expand new products like high-capacity vehicles and payments, and quicken the already remarkable pace of innovation in the region.

This acquisition is subject to regulatory approval in various countries, which we don’t expect before Q1 2020. Until then, nothing changes. And since both companies will continue to largely operate separately after the acquisition, very little will change in either teams’ day-to-day operations post-close. Today’s news is a testament to the incredible business our team has worked so hard to build.

It’s a great day for the Middle East, for the region’s thriving tech sector, for Careem, and for Uber.

Uber on,

Dara

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Essentials

The flights
Etihad and Emirates fly direct from the UAE to Delhi from about Dh950 return including taxes.
The hotels
Double rooms at Tijara Fort-Palace cost from 6,670 rupees (Dh377), including breakfast.
Doubles at Fort Bishangarh cost from 29,030 rupees (Dh1,641), including breakfast. Doubles at Narendra Bhawan cost from 15,360 rupees (Dh869). Doubles at Chanoud Garh cost from 19,840 rupees (Dh1,122), full board. Doubles at Fort Begu cost from 10,000 rupees (Dh565), including breakfast.
The tours
Amar Grover travelled with Wild Frontiers. A tailor-made, nine-day itinerary via New Delhi, with one night in Tijara and two nights in each of the remaining properties, including car/driver, costs from £1,445 (Dh6,968) per person.