The UAE’s health minister has received the first approved dose of a vaccine designed to protect the public from Covid-19.
Abdulrahman Al Owais was given a jab developed in a testing operation between the UAE and China on Saturday after a phase III study to test its effectiveness.
The UAE trial has now entered its final stages but tests have shown the vaccine is safe and generates antibodies that fight the virus.
Mr Al Owais said the injection to protect against the coronavirus could be used in “cases of emergency” for frontline workers.
"The emergency use of the vaccine is fully and completely compatible with the laws and regulations," he said.
"And our goal is to provide all safety means for the first line of defence to protect them from any dangers they may face due to the nature of their work.”
The vaccine was approved for use among emergency personnel in the UAE last week. More vaccines are being tested around the world are approaching the same point.
So what happens next?
What have UAE's authorities learned from the phase III trial?
Phase I and II trials of the Sinopharm vaccine were conducted in China, when it was shown to generate neutralising antibodies in 100 per cent of volunteers.
The UAE was chosen to conduct a phase III trial due to it being home to over 200 nationalities, which would show how multiple ethnicities respond.
The study began here in July.
Sheikh Abdullah bin Mohammed Al Hamed, chairman of the Department of Health Abu Dhabi, led the way, taking the first shot during the outset.
Dr Jamal Al Kaabi, acting undersecretary of the department, which is overseeing the trials, volunteered to be second to test the vaccine, which was produced by Chinese drug maker Sinopharm.
In total, 31,000 people have since been recruited in Abu Dhabi and Sharjah in the UAE to test two strains of the vaccine.
More people have been recruited for the same trial in Jordan and Bahrain.
Volunteers in the UAE are contacted frequently to share how they are feeling after they received each of the two doses, and are encouraged to report if they feel unwell. They also received a smart watch to monitor information such as sleep patterns and heart rate.
The trial is still ongoing, but Mr Al Owais said it has shown the vaccine “resulted in a strong response and the generation of antibodies to the virus”.
What side effects have been recorded?
During last Monday’s media briefing, Dr Nawal Al Kaabi, chairwoman of the National Clinical Committee for Covid-19, said volunteers displayed only minor symptoms, such as a sore throat, during the trial.
Other minor side effects, common in many vaccines, included headaches, fatigue and slight pain in the injection area. More than 1,000 volunteers with history of chronic illness have not experienced any complications after taking the Sinopharm vaccine.
Doctors said minor side effects were to be expected.
Dr Srinivasa Rao, internal medicine specialist at NMC Specialty Hospital in Al Nahda, Dubai, told The National any vaccine could have transient side effects. And many do.
“They are generally for one day, two days or three days maximum. They typically include headaches and body pain or malaise,” he said.
What happens next?
A phase III trial is the final step before a vaccine is approved for use among the general public.
It is not known when the trial will conclude in the UAE, but Mr Al Owais said on Monday that it was now in its “final stages”.
When will the vaccine be ready?
Sinopharm said the vaccine could be on the market as early as December.
"After the third stage of international clinical trial ends, we can register the inactivated vaccine," Liu Jingzhen, chairman of Sinopharm, told China's Guangming Ribao newspaper.
“According to our estimates, by the end of the year, it may appear on the market," he said.
It is expected to cost about $150 (Dh551) per dose, he said. Several governments have already said a vaccine would be made available for free.
How effective will the Covid-19 vaccines be?
Experts have cautioned against holding out hope that a vaccine will be a silver bullet to end the pandemic.
There are about 140 in development.
But it is unlikely that any of them will offer 100 per cent protection. Few vaccines even approach that level, with the exceptions of the MMR and polio inoculations.
The effectiveness of the annual flu vaccine varies, and was as low as 10 per cent in 2004. That means it protected only 10 per cent of those exposed to the flu that year.
Dr Anthony Fauci, one of the United States' leading disease experts, said he would like a Covid-19 vaccine that was 75 per cent effective, or more. But he said this might not be possible.
"We don't know yet what the efficacy might be. We don't know if it will be 50 per cent or 60 per cent," he said in August.
Add to the fact it will take many months, possibly years, to ensure all 7.5 billion people are vaccinated, or at least enough numbers to prevent it from spreading.
Possible shortages of vital vaccine equipment like glass vials will further slow the process. And not everyone who is eligible will take it.
For these reasons, experts said a vaccine is the beginning of the end, not the solution in itself. The use of masks and social distancing will be required for months, possibly years, in the future.
Where else in the world has a Covid-19 vaccine been approved for limited use?
Russia approved its version of the vaccine in August before phase III trials had begun. The move cleared the vaccine for use in a small number of citizens from vulnerable groups, including healthcare workers. Mass production of the vaccine for widespread use is expected to begin this month.
China has also approved the use of Covid-19 vaccines for limited use, including among members of the military.
Sinopharm told China National Radio last week it has already vaccinated “hundreds of thousands” of Chinese citizens as part of an emergency use programme. Officials singled out healthcare workers and custom officials would be among those to receive the jab as part of the programme when it was first announced.
The biog
Favourite colour: Brown
Favourite Movie: Resident Evil
Hobbies: Painting, Cooking, Imitating Voices
Favourite food: Pizza
Trivia: Was the voice of three characters in the Emirati animation, Shaabiyat Al Cartoon
if you go
The flights
Etihad, Emirates and Singapore Airlines fly direct from the UAE to Singapore from Dh2,265 return including taxes. The flight takes about 7 hours.
The hotel
Rooms at the M Social Singapore cost from SG $179 (Dh488) per night including taxes.
The tour
Makan Makan Walking group tours costs from SG $90 (Dh245) per person for about three hours. Tailor-made tours can be arranged. For details go to www.woknstroll.com.sg
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Favourite sport: beach volleyball
Favourite holiday destinations: Turkey and Puerto Rico
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The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
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Date Started: May 2015
Founders: Rami Shaar and Jad Halaoui
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Laundry
Employees: 170
Funding: about $8m
Funders: Addventure, B&Y Partners, Clara Ventures, Cedar Mundi Partners, Henkel Ventures
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Countdown to Zero: Defeating Disease, an international multimedia exhibition created by the American Museum of National History in collaboration with The Carter Center, will open in Abu Dhabi a month before Reaching the Last Mile.
Opening on October 15 and running until November 15, the free exhibition opens at The Galleria mall on Al Maryah Island, and has already been seen at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum in Atlanta, the American Museum of Natural History in New York, and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
Spain drain
CONVICTED
Lionel Messi Found guilty in 2016 of of using companies in Belize, Britain, Switzerland and Uruguay to avoid paying €4.1m in taxes on income earned from image rights. Sentenced to 21 months in jail and fined more than €2m. But prison sentence has since been replaced by another fine of €252,000.
Javier Mascherano Accepted one-year suspended sentence in January 2016 for tax fraud after found guilty of failing to pay €1.5m in taxes for 2011 and 2012. Unlike Messi he avoided trial by admitting to tax evasion.
Angel di Maria Argentina and Paris Saint-Germain star Angel di Maria was fined and given a 16-month prison sentence for tax fraud during his time at Real Madrid. But he is unlikely to go to prison as is normal in Spain for first offences for non-violent crimes carrying sentence of less than two years.
SUSPECTED
Cristiano Ronaldo Real Madrid's star striker, accused of evading €14.7m in taxes, appears in court on Monday. Portuguese star faces four charges of fraud through offshore companies.
Jose Mourinho Manchester United manager accused of evading €3.3m in tax in 2011 and 2012, during time in charge at Real Madrid. But Gestifute, which represents him, says he has already settled matter with Spanish tax authorities.
Samuel Eto'o In November 2016, Spanish prosecutors sought jail sentence of 10 years and fines totalling €18m for Cameroonian, accused of failing to pay €3.9m in taxes during time at Barcelona from 2004 to 2009.
Radamel Falcao Colombian striker Falcao suspected of failing to correctly declare €7.4m of income earned from image rights between 2012 and 2013 while at Atletico Madrid. He has since paid €8.2m to Spanish tax authorities, a sum that includes interest on the original amount.
Jorge Mendes Portuguese super-agent put under official investigation last month by Spanish court investigating alleged tax evasion by Falcao, a client of his. He defended himself, telling closed-door hearing he "never" advised players in tax matters.
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He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
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The Case For Trump
By Victor Davis Hanson
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What is the FNC?
The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning.
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval.
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
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How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
'Gold'
Director:Anthony Hayes
Stars:Zaf Efron, Anthony Hayes
Rating:3/5
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
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- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
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DUBAI WORLD CUP CARNIVAL CARD
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Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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China
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Japan
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Norway
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Canada
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Singapore
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Australia
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Saudi Arabia
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South Korea
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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