Sinopharm vaccine explained
The Sinopharm vaccine was created using techniques that have been around for decades.
“This is an inactivated vaccine. Simply what it means is that the virus is taken, cultured and inactivated," said Dr Nawal Al Kaabi, chair of the UAE's National Covid-19 Clinical Management Committee.
"What is left is a skeleton of the virus so it looks like a virus, but it is not live."
This is then injected into the body.
"The body will recognise it and form antibodies but because it is inactive, we will need more than one dose. The body will not develop immunity with one dose," she said.
"You have to be exposed more than one time to what we call the antigen."
The vaccine should offer protection for at least months, but no one knows how long beyond that.
Dr Al Kaabi said early vaccine volunteers in China were given shots last spring and still have antibodies today.
“Since it is inactivated, it will not last forever," she said.
The UAE has struck a deal to manufacture the Sinopharm vaccine, in addition to securing millions of readily available shots for the population.
The country will begin producing the vaccine under licence from the Chinese drug maker later this year to meet not just local but also anticipated global demand.
In an exclusive interview, Dr Nawal Al Kaabi, chairwoman of the National Covid-19 Clinical Management Committee, and technology firm G42 outlined a series of major developments to expect in the coming months.
These include:
– the manufacture of the Sinopharm vaccine in the Emirates by G42 and various partners
– a plan to achieve herd immunity by later this year with up to 70 per cent of the population covered
I am are happy to announce that local manufacturing of the vaccine will be done in the UAE. We intend to commence production this year
– further investigation of the new strains and the ability of the vaccine to fight them off
– studying how long immunity lasts once a person receives two shots
– a probe into whether the vaccine is suitable for children
– a campaign to ensure volunteers who were given a placebo during the Phase 3 trial receive the vaccination
– the vaccine will remain free and voluntary, though officials said they expect some companies will insist on employees being vaccinated
– officials were not concerned by Sinopharm's 79 per cent efficacy – highlighting a Phase 3 trial analysis that found the vaccine was 100 per cent effective at preventing serious Covid-19 symptoms
'Self-sufficient' vaccine production
"We are in advanced stages of discussion with our key strategic partners and are happy to announce that local manufacturing of the vaccine will be done in the UAE," Ashish Koshy, chief executive of G42 Healthcare, told The National.
"We intend to commence production this year."
He said the number of vaccine doses that could be produced locally was still being studied, but these would bolster the shots that had already been secured from Sinopharm.
On Tuesday, China National Biotec Group – the division of Sinopharm that created the vaccine – confirmed it had delivered three million Covid-19 vaccine doses to the UAE to date.
The vaccines eventually produced in the Emirates would supplement that.
“The goal is to be self-sufficient and to ensure that manufacturing can be done from A to Z locally," Mr Koshy added.
It is hoped the campaign will lead to at least 70 per cent of the population being inoculated.
That would in theory lead to 'herd immunity' – with the number of cases and people spreading the coronavirus significantly dropping.
A dramatic spike over Christmas and New Year – which saw new cases run close to 2,000 for four days – has only reinforced the need for the public to get vaccinated soon.
Cutting critical cases
Dr Al Kaabi, who is also principle investigator of the Sinopharm Phase 3 trial in Abu Dhabi and chief medical officer at Sheikh Khalifa Medical City, said: "It is hard to determine what percentage of the population needs to vaccinated to achieve herd immunity but our hope is more than 70 per cent."
Last week, Sinopharm announced its vaccine was 79 per cent effective against the virus in final stage trials.
That was lower than the 86 per cent the UAE found in a Phase 3 trial of 31,000 people, but still well above the threshold for regulatory approval.
Dr Al Kaabi said the vaccine still provides high-level protection against serious forms of Covid-19.
“As an infectious disease expert, I see no difference," she said.
"Both are accurate and both have shown that it has a 100 per cent protection when it comes to severe cases - and this the most important in a pandemic.
"We need to prevent severe disease and hospitalisation."
___________________
UAE leaders and officials receive vaccine - in pictures
___________________
Next, officials will turn to the research stage of the project.
This will focus on understanding more about the vaccine's long-term effectiveness – and whether it would stretch beyond six months.
As with the seasonal flu vaccine, a new shot must be taken every year.
Understanding the protection the vaccine delivers is critical at a time when new and more virulent strains are being discovered.
“There will be a lot of mutations and variants but, since we are using an inactivated virus, then [the vaccine] is less likely to be affected by the new strain,” said Dr Nawal Al Kaabi.
There will be a lot of mutations and variants but since we are using an inactivated virus then it is less likely to be affected by the new strain
"But to confirm we are doing further testing."
Each of the officials thanked the tens of thousands of volunteers who have taken part in Abu Dhabi's Sinopharm trials.
Among them are many residents who were given a placebo, instead of the trial vaccine, which is a key part of any major study.
Dr Walid Zaher, chief research officer and vaccine project leader at G42 Healthcare, said there were efforts under way to ensure each of those volunteers were now given the approved vaccine.
“Currently there are ongoing efforts to find a solution towards the volunteers, especially the placebo volunteers, and their right to be protected during a pandemic,” he said.
“The goal is to vaccinate them while at the same time not compromising the clinical trials of not only Sinopharm, but the other manufacturers as well.”
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.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Read more about the coronavirus
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
New Zealand 57-0 South Africa
Tries: Rieko Ioane, Nehe Milner-Skudder (2), Scott Barrett, Brodie Retallick, Ofa Tu'ungfasi, Lima Sopoaga, Codie Taylor. Conversions: Beauden Barrett (7). Penalty: Beauden Barrett
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.
MATCH INFO
What: India v Afghanistan, first Test
When: Starts Thursday
Where: M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengalaru
FIGHT INFO
Men’s 60kg Round 1:
Ahmad Shuja Jamal (AFG) beat Krisada Takhiankliang (THA) - points
Hyan Aljmyah (SYR) beat Akram Alyminee (YEM) - retired Round 1
Ibrahim Bilal (UAE) beat Bhanu Pratap Pandit (IND) - TKO Round 1
Men’s 71kg Round 1:
Seyed Kaveh Soleyman (IRI) beat Abedel Rahman (JOR) - RSC round 3.
Amine Al Moatassime (UAE) walk over Ritiz Puri (NEP)
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The five pillars of Islam
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
The biog
Name: Abeer Al Shahi
Emirate: Sharjah – Khor Fakkan
Education: Master’s degree in special education, preparing for a PhD in philosophy.
Favourite activities: Bungee jumping
Favourite quote: “My people and I will not settle for anything less than first place” – Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid.
GROUPS
Group Gustavo Kuerten
Novak Djokovic (x1)
Alexander Zverev (x3)
Marin Cilic (x5)
John Isner (x8)
Group Lleyton Hewitt
Roger Federer (x2)
Kevin Anderson (x4)
Dominic Thiem (x6)
Kei Nishikori (x7)
NYBL PROFILE
Company name: Nybl
Date started: November 2018
Founder: Noor Alnahhas, Michael LeTan, Hafsa Yazdni, Sufyaan Abdul Haseeb, Waleed Rifaat, Mohammed Shono
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Software Technology / Artificial Intelligence
Initial investment: $500,000
Funding round: Series B (raising $5m)
Partners/Incubators: Dubai Future Accelerators Cohort 4, Dubai Future Accelerators Cohort 6, AI Venture Labs Cohort 1, Microsoft Scale-up
Sinopharm vaccine explained
The Sinopharm vaccine was created using techniques that have been around for decades.
“This is an inactivated vaccine. Simply what it means is that the virus is taken, cultured and inactivated," said Dr Nawal Al Kaabi, chair of the UAE's National Covid-19 Clinical Management Committee.
"What is left is a skeleton of the virus so it looks like a virus, but it is not live."
This is then injected into the body.
"The body will recognise it and form antibodies but because it is inactive, we will need more than one dose. The body will not develop immunity with one dose," she said.
"You have to be exposed more than one time to what we call the antigen."
The vaccine should offer protection for at least months, but no one knows how long beyond that.
Dr Al Kaabi said early vaccine volunteers in China were given shots last spring and still have antibodies today.
“Since it is inactivated, it will not last forever," she said.
