A volunteer takes part in the vaccine trial.

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

The UAE has started the clinical trials of the Russian adenovirus-based vaccine on Sunday.

The first volunteers began to participate in the trials. The experiments are open to 500 volunteers in principle, and are under the supervision of the Abu Dhabi Department of Health.

The department is conducting the phase III clinical trials for the Russian vaccine is clear proof of Abu Dhabi’s world-class medical sector with Abu Dhabi advancing the efforts of the Russians, who have developed the vaccine and chosen the emirate for the completion of these clinical trials.

Abu Dhabi is one of the most important centres outside Russia for conducting the clinical trials of this vaccine.

The emirate has been chosen to play a key role , in order to try to understand the effects of the vaccine on people from different nationalities.

A volunteer said, “Abu Dhabi government’s support for the health sector to provide the best vaccines was my main motivation for taking part in the trial.”

There are certain criteria listed for volunteers to take part in trails.

A person must be above the age of 18. He/she must not be part of any other COVID-19 trials.

The dosage would be administered 20 days apart in two shots.

A volunteer after receiving the second jab would be monitored for 180 days with visits and videoconference.

The Government of Abu Dhabi has announced that it will become a global hub of vaccine distribution.

The Abu Dhabi media office said, “Tackling global challenges through public-private partnerships, the Abu Dhabi-led “Hope Consortium” has been launched to enable the global distribution of 18 billion COVID-19 vaccines by the end of 2021.

Through its partners Department of Health, Etihad Airways, Abu Dhabi Ports, the consortium offers a complete supply chain solution.