UAE officials warn against taking excessive booster shots after vaccine


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Latest: Only vaccinated people allowed in Abu Dhabi public spaces from August 20

Taking two booster doses of the coronavirus vaccine, without medical advice, after being fully inoculated could pose a health risk.

Some residents have tried to take extra booster shots for travel purposes, it is understood.

People who received the Sinopharm vaccine could be eligible for a third shot, but some have sought to get a fourth for travel purposes.

We note that some people may insist on taking more doses of the Covid-19 vaccine than recommended, which contradicts the opinion of doctors

"We note that some people may insist on taking more doses of the Covid-19 vaccine than recommended, which contradicts the opinion of doctors, and which may expose them to unwanted health complications," an official said at a government media briefing.

"So we advise everyone to adhere to the opinion of the treating doctor in order to ensure their health and safety."

In Abu Dhabi, the authorities require a GP's medical assessment before they administer a booster shot.

In Dubai, this is not required and people attending clinics are asked to be honest about their vaccine status.

People planning to travel to Europe this summer would not be eligible to enter some EU countries if they had taken the Sinopharm vaccine, which is yet to be approved by the European Medicines Agency.

That has led some people to try for two Pfizer booster shots to secure the necessary vaccine card.

Asked about people taking two Pfizer shots after Sinopharm, Dr Farida Al Hosani, a federal government health spokeswoman, told The National that all residents must "check their eligibility to receive the vaccination based on the medical evaluation" set out at the vaccine centre.

Boosters should be taken based on medical need and not for any other reason, she said.

Clinics have also offered a third dose of the Sinopharm vaccine for those who had a second dose six months earlier.

Meanwhile, the government on Sunday said that one in three Covid-19 cases in the UAE are of the highly infectious Delta variant.

The number of deaths in the country increased and this was attributable to the spread of mutations, not following rules and failing to take the vaccine, officials said.

Ninety-four per cent of deaths occurred in unvaccinated people. Only 6 per cent of people who died had received the vaccine.

The figures were released on Sunday during a Covid-19 briefing, at which the authorities stressed the importance of being fully vaccinated to ensure full protection.

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1921

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Global state-owned investor ranking by size

1.

United States

2.

China

3.

UAE

4.

Japan

5

Norway

6.

Canada

7.

Singapore

8.

Australia

9.

Saudi Arabia

10.

South Korea

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Favourite book: Peter Rabbit. I used to read it to my three children and still read it myself. If I am feeling down it brings back good memories.

Best thing about your job: Getting to help people. My mum always told me never to pass up an opportunity to do a good deed.

Best part of life in the UAE: The weather. The constant sunshine is amazing and there is always something to do, you have so many options when it comes to how to spend your day.

Favourite holiday destination: Malaysia. I went there for my honeymoon and ended up volunteering to teach local children for a few hours each day. It is such a special place and I plan to retire there one day.

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What is the Supreme Petroleum Council?

The Abu Dhabi Supreme Petroleum Council was established in 1988 and is the highest governing body in Abu Dhabi’s oil and gas industry. The council formulates, oversees and executes the emirate’s petroleum-related policies. It also approves the allocation of capital spending across state-owned Adnoc’s upstream, downstream and midstream operations and functions as the company’s board of directors. The SPC’s mandate is also required for auctioning oil and gas concessions in Abu Dhabi and for awarding blocks to international oil companies. The council is chaired by Sheikh Khalifa, the President and Ruler of Abu Dhabi while Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, is the vice chairman.

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Company name: baraka
Started: July 2020
Founders: Feras Jalbout and Kunal Taneja
Based: Dubai and Bahrain
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Investors: Class 5 Global, FJ Labs, IMO Ventures, The Community Fund, VentureSouq, Fox Ventures, Dr Abdulla Elyas (private investment)

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