From the Editors: Can Saeed Bin Surour make it three in row?

VACCINES AT YOUR DOORSTEP: The decision by the Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA) to bring COVID-19 vaccines to the doorstep of senior citizens and residents will benefit many. For the elderly, the very thought of making a visit to a vaccine centre to get their jab is quite daunting. Like home screenings for COVID-19, this move will not only make it convenient for them to get the vaccine in their own settings, it will also eliminate the risk of public exposure if they were to visit a centre. There is no excuse now for anyone in this bracket not to get vaccinated. [COMMENT by Sharmila Dhal, UAE Editor]

US OUTLOOK BRIGHT AS VACCINATIONS RISE AND DEATHS FALL: 70 per cent of American citizens 65 and older have had at least one dose of the vaccine to protect themselves from COVID-19. What’s more, the death rate has dipped below 1,000 a day for the first time since November. This is very encouraging news for all concerned. And with several states inviting all adults to be inoculated and more vaccines to be distributed across the country, the outlook is brighter than it has been for a very long time. But, the US cannot afford to declare a victory over the virus yet. One wrong move and all the hard work can be undone. That’s the last thing anyone wants to see. And with spikes in cases being reported all across Europe, there is still plenty of work for us all to do to ensure we beat this pandemic. [COMMENT by Imran Malik, Assistant Editor]

CAN SAEED BIN SUROUR MAKE IT THREE IN A ROW? Godolphin trainer Saeed Bin Surour knows a thing or two about winning the Group 1 Dubai World Cup - having won the race a whopping nine times. Come Saturday, he will be on the cusp of a third straight success after his pairing with jockey Christophe Soumillon won the previous two editions with the now-retired Thunder Snow. This time, his bet for the big race is Gift of Gold – with which he could really close the landmark silver jubilee edition of the event in style. [COMMENT by Gautam Bhattacharyya, Senior Associate Editor]

A UNIQUE STAR: Actress Jessica Walter has died at the age of 80 and fans of the veteran star have remembered her for one of her most iconic roles. She played the quirky and acerbic matriarch Lucille Bluth on ‘Arrested Development’ and people have been sharing her funniest lines from the comedy series on social media. She played the role with a deft hand, making her mean-spirited character one of the most loved. Walter said she loved being cast in roles that were different. “Lucky me, because those are the fun roles,” she said in 2012. Being different is ultimately makes people stand out, and Walter did just that. [COMMENT by Jennifer Barretto, Assistant Editor - Features]