A health worker gets a coronavirus vaccine shot at a medical centre. AFP

Gulf Today Report

The UAE has administered more than 4.008 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines and achieved a distribution rate of 40.53 doses per every 100 people.
Crossing the four million does mark comes as result of the efforts made at the country level to contain the pandemic, the Ministry of Health and Prevention announced on Friday.

"Crossing the four million mark adds to the UAE’s track record and comes as part of the country’s keenness to provide vaccines to all members of the society," said Abdul Rahman Bin Mohammad Bin Nasser Al Owais, Minister of Health and Prevention.

He attributed the achievement to the determination and diligent efforts made by the nation’s medical teams under the directives and constant support of the country’s wise leadership.

"The rapid and effective rollout of the COVID vaccines is a testimony to the success of the National Vaccination Programme launched by the country to ensure the vaccine availability in most of the government and private health establishments and centres in order to make it easier for the largest segments of society, including Emiratis and residents, specially the elderly, people with chronic diseases and front-line heroes, with the ultimate goal of ensuring acquired immunity across the nation to help curb the disease and stem its fallout."

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The minister highlighted the growing demand for the vaccination among the general public, describing the UAE society’s positive response to the inoculation drive as reflective of the public trust in the State’s capabilities to ensure public health and safety.
He underlined the importance of the UAE people continuing to display full commitment to COVID-19 countermeasures in order to safeguard the society against any new coronavirus strains.

Meanwhile, Britain's medicine regulator on Friday said that data from the first weeks of the rollout of Pfizer and AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines confirmed their good safety profiles, saying both shots met strict regulatory standards.

"The data we have collected provides further reassurance that the COVID-19 vaccines are safe and continue to meet the rigorous regulatory standards required for all vaccines," June Raine, Chief Executive of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), said in a statement. "We remain confident that the benefits of these vaccines outweigh any risks."

The MHRA also says the coronavirus vaccines being used across the country appear safe and that "the benefits continue to far outweigh any risks,” according to its latest monitoring data.

In a statement published on Friday, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency said that of the more than 10 million COVID-19 vaccines administered, there have been 22,820 reports of suspected side effects, for a rate of about 3 per 1,000 doses.

The figures are based on vaccines given to people from December 9, 2020 to January 24. The COVID-19 vaccines currently being used in Britain are made by Pfizer and BioNTech, and AstraZeneca, which were both approved for use in December.

"The vast majority of side effects are mild and all are in line with most types of vaccine, including the seasonal flu vaccine,” the agency said. It noted the most commonly reported side effects were sore arms and mild flu-like symptoms.