Muslims in the UK could be offered coronavirus vaccines after evening prayers during Ramadan.
Vaccines Minister Nadhim Zahawi on Wednesday praised mosques for signing up for pop-up vaccination clinics to coincide with iftar – the evening meal after the daily Ramadan fast ends at sunset.
More than 22.8 million people have received their first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine in the UK, according to government statistics.
But ministers said the continued success of the programme relies on strong take-up of the vaccine, particularly among minority ethnic groups who, studies show, are more likely to be hesitant.
Some mosques have already been converted to vaccine centres to encourage take-up among Muslims.
But Mr Zahawi told MPs some mosques were planning to go further by offering the vaccine to Muslims immediately after iftar during Ramadan, which begins on April 12.
“It goes back to convenience, access and support. It’s a place that the community trusts,” he told the Woman and Equalities Committee.
“And thinking it through, if people are coming for iftar to the mosque, what a great way to book them in afterwards to have their jab.”
He said 94 per cent of Britain’s adult population said they were likely or very likely to take the vaccine.
“It’s the highest in the world if I’m not mistaken in terms of vaccine positivity,” he said.
However, he said the take-up rate was lower among the black and Afro-Caribbean and Bangladeshi communities.
He said that anti-vaccination misinformation was “false but proving quite potent” among women.
“Some of the focus groups and polling numbers suggest much of the hesitancy is around issues of fertility,” he said.
Medical and religion experts said the Covid-19 vaccine is permissible in Islam and does not invalidate fasting.
Dr Salman Waqar, a board member at the British Islamic Medical Association, said Islamic opinion on the matter was fairly unambiguous.
"Muslim scholars around the world, not only in Europe and the UK, said that the Covid vaccines are religiously permissible and that taking a vaccine during Ramadan will not invalidate your fast.”
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Brief scoreline:
Wales 1
James 5'
Slovakia 0
Man of the Match: Dan James (Wales)
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
UAE%20v%20West%20Indies
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Infobox
Western Region Asia Cup Qualifier, Al Amerat, Oman
The two finalists advance to the next stage of qualifying, in Malaysia in August
Results
UAE beat Iran by 10 wickets
Kuwait beat Saudi Arabia by eight wickets
Oman beat Bahrain by nine wickets
Qatar beat Maldives by 106 runs
Monday fixtures
UAE v Kuwait, Iran v Saudi Arabia, Oman v Qatar, Maldives v Bahrain
RESULTS
Time; race; prize; distance
4pm: Maiden; (D) Dh150,000; 1,200m
Winner: General Line, Xavier Ziani (jockey), Omar Daraj (trainer)
4.35pm: Maiden (T); Dh150,000; 1,600m
Winner: Travis County, Adrie de Vries, Ismail Mohammed
5.10pm: Handicap (D); Dh175,000; 1,200m
Winner: Scrutineer, Tadhg O’Shea, Ali Rashid Al Raihe
5.45pm: Maiden (D); Dh150,000; 1,600m
Winner: Yulong Warrior, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
6.20pm: Maiden (D); Dh150,000; 1,600m
Winner: Ejaaby, Jim Crowley, Doug Watson
6.55pm: Handicap (D); Dh160,000; 1,600m
Winner: Storyboard, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
7.30pm: Handicap (D); Dh150,000; 2,200m
Winner: Grand Dauphin, Gerald Mosse, Ahmed Al Shemaili
8.05pm: Handicap (T); Dh190,000; 1,800m
Winner: Good Trip, Tadhg O’Shea, Ali Rashid Al Raihe
It
Director: Andres Muschietti
Starring: Bill Skarsgard, Jaeden Lieberher, Sophia Lillis, Chosen Jacobs, Jeremy Ray Taylor
Three stars
More on Quran memorisation:
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
Tentative schedule of 2017/18 Ashes series
1st Test November 23-27, The Gabba, Brisbane
2nd Test December 2-6, Adelaide Oval, Adelaide
3rd Test Dcember 14-18, Waca, Perth
4th Test December 26-30, Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne
5th Test January 4-8, Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
