UAE administers 1mln COVID-19 vaccine doses in two weeks

The United Arab Emirates has administered around one million doses of COVID-19 vaccines in two weeks, according to the National Crisis and Emergency Management Authority (NCEMA).

A total of six million doses of the vaccine have now been given to nearly half (46.6 percent) of the country’s population of 9.9 million, with some people receiving a second dose.

The UAE has now issued the second-highest number of vaccines relative to population out of any country in the world, behind Israel and ahead of the UK.

Vaccines have been given to 61.4 percent of elderly people in the UAE.

NCEMA says that a recent drop in case numbers (after peaking in late January) is attributable to the mass vaccination program.

“Today we are witnessing a gradual decrease in the number of cases,” NCEMA said in a Tweet.

“This is a positive indicator, achieved through the implementation of all national protocols & precautionary measures & proactively providing vaccines to all members of society.”

New COVID-19 cases in the UAE have fallen by an average of one-fifth since the late January peak, although there has been a slight increase at the beginning of March.

The UAE started its mass vaccination program in December 2020, aiming to inoculate 50 percent of its population by March 2021.

It will continue until December 2021 when the government aims to have vaccinated 70 percent of the country.

Published: 02 March ,2021: 06:26 PM GST