UAE tops global rankings for vaccination rates

The UAE has moved to the top of the global rankings for vaccination rates, overtaking Israel.

As of Thursday, the country had administered more than 120 doses of the Covid-19 vaccine per 100 people. The UAE is among the countries leading the way in efforts to inoculate their populations during 2021.

The latest ranking was reported by several sources, including The New York Times and the Financial Times, using data compiled from local governments by Our World in Data and World Bank population measurements. Bahrain, Aruba, and Chile round out the top five.

The Emirates has administered more than 11.9 million doses of the Covid-19 vaccine since launching a nationwide inoculation drive in December.

On Friday, the UAE announced a further 122,001 doses of vaccine had been administered during the latest 24-hour reporting period.

Vaccination rates regularly exceed 100,000 per day.

The vaccination campaign was expanded this week, with the Pfizer-BioNtech shot made available to everyone aged 12 and over in Abu Dhabi.

The decision on Thursday came into effect immediately.

The vaccine will be available alongside the Sinopharm shot, the most commonly used vaccine in the UAE.

Pfizer-BioNTech will be available in all 46 clinics and centres run by the public health group Seha in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and the Northern Emirates.

Authorities regularly call on the public to get vaccinated to support efforts to reach herd immunity.

Dr Farida Al Hosani, spokeswoman for the health sector, this week praised the people of the UAE for receiving vaccines in large numbers.

Dr Al Hosani said the widespread uptake of vaccines had led to a decline in the number of infected people requiring hospital treatment.

She urged parents to ensure their children were vaccinated to offer further protection to public health and boost the education sector.

“Expanding vaccine coverage allows us to provide vaccines to the biggest proportion of the population in order to reach herd immunity. It is important as children go back to schools.

“To parents, rest assured this vaccine will help us all feel safe and protect the health of children.

“It will reduce the burden on parents who have children learning online.”

Dr Al Hosani said 73.88 of all eligible groups aged 16 and over had been inoculated, with this number rising above 80 per cent for the over-60s.

She said that through data analysis, authorities had recorded a fall in hospital admissions, fewer days of treatment and less use of ventilators.

“It has expedited the recovery pace and limited the spread of the virus.”