In photos: Dubai kicks off Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine plan

The Dubai Health Authority (DHA), in coordination with Dubai’s Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management and the COVID-19 Command and Control Centre, announced on Wednesday that it has commenced its COVID-19 vaccination campaign.

The campaign will see the DHA providing the Pfizer- BioNTech vaccination, which has recently been approved for use by the US Food and Drug Administration and registered by the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention.

The first individuals to receive the vaccine are 84-year old senior citizen Ali Salem Ali Aladidi; 36 year old Shamaa Saif Rashid Alalili from Dubai Ambulance; 45 year old Asha Susan Philip, DHA Nurse; 37 year old Asif Khan Fazle Subhan, RTA driver; and 32 year old Adel Hassan Shukralla from Dubai Police.

The DHA reiterated the importance of continuing to observe precautionary measures and leading a healthy lifestyle even after receiving the vaccine. It sought the community’s cooperation in ensuring sustained adherence with preventive protocols to strengthen the efforts of authorities to curb the COVID-19 pandemic.

The DHA emphasised that providing a COVID-19 vaccine is part of the Dubai government’s keenness to protect the public from risks of infection, which will contribute to global efforts to overcome the pandemic.

The Authority also stressed that the vaccination drive is an important step in further strengthening Dubai’s integrated healthcare system and its comprehensive strategy to counter COVID-19.

Phillip (pictured), 45, a nurse from the Infectious Diseases Department at Rashid Hospital, said she received the first dose of the vaccine at 1.43pm at the Al Barsha Primary Health Centre. “I am very happy to receive the vaccine. When my department asked me if I was willing, I said yes. After vaccination, I have been feeling perfectly fine. My family members supported my decision to take this vaccine and I will take the next dose in 21 days,” said Phillip from Kottayam district, Kerala.