UAE: 73,831 Covid vaccine doses administered in 24 hours

Dubai - Covid-19 vaccines have been found effective against all strains of SARS-CoV-2.

The UAE has administered 73,831 doses of the Covid-19 vaccine in the past 24 hours.

The country's Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) said the total doses administered now stands at 16 million. This takes the rate of doses to 162.2 per 100 people.

Though the Delta strain is a “variant of concern”, UAE doctors have assured there is no need to panic, as Covid-19 vaccines have been found effective against all strains of SARS-CoV-2, which causes the viral disease.

The Delta strain is more infectious and easily transmissible, which has led to its emergence as a variant of concern.

Vaccination is the best antidote to safeguard against contracting the viral infection, doctors advised.

The World Health Organization’s chief scientist has advised against people mixing and matching Covid-19 vaccines from different manufacturers, calling it a “dangerous trend” since there was little data available about the health impact.

“It’s a little bit of a dangerous trend here. We are in a data-free, evidence-free zone as far as mix and match,” Soumya Swaminathan told an online briefing.

“It will be a chaotic situation in countries if citizens start deciding when and who will be taking a second, a third and a fourth dose.”

• Dubai