The UAE government has approved emergency use of the coronavirus vaccine for medical staff working directly with patients.
The directive allowing the vaccine to be given to frontline workers even though it is still in phase 3 clinical trials was announced on WAM, the state news agency.
At a media briefing on Monday, the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA) announced that in the six weeks since the vaccine was announced it has been administered to 31,000 people, including 1,000 people with chronic medical conditions.
The initial results of the trial, involving 125 nationalities, are encouraging in terms of stimulating antibodies and safety, NCEMA reports.
“The results of clinical trials are moving on the right path, with all tests being successful so far and the side effects which have been reported so far are simple and expected,” said Dr Nawal Al Kaabi, chair of the National Covid-19 clinical management committee. “And no serious side effects have been encountered.”
NCEMA said the health authorities have followed all procedures to control the quality, safety and efficacy of the vaccine in coordination with its creators.
The Emirati technology company Group 42 (G42) in partnership with a Chinese medical firm, China National Biotec Group, is conducting the trials under the supervision of Abu Dhabi’s Department of Health.
The vaccine was developed by the Wuhan Institute of Biological Products. The previous two phases of testing were carried out in April in central China’s Henan province, involving 1,120 volunteers between the ages of 18 and 59.
The UAE reported 777 additional Covid-19 cases on Monday evening, down from a high of 1000-plus last week.
On the global front, Covid-19 cases passed 29 million with 930,000 deaths and 21.1 million recoveries.
