Hayat-Vax: Made-in-UAE COVID-19 vaccine distribution begins

Hayat — which means ‘life’ in Arabic — is the first indigenous Covid-19 vaccine in the region to be manufactured by a joint venture between Abu Dhabi’s G42 and Sinopharm.

It is the same Sinopharm vaccine that was registered by the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention in December last year.

Authorities in the UAE said that the vaccine is getting approvals in other countries.

China's Sinopharm vaccine received approval from the World Health Organisation last week. Officials said the UAE contributed in "providing all vaccine data to support this decision".

The UAE had in July 2020 launched the world’s first phase III clinical trial of the Covid-19 inactivated vaccine.

"The UAE has been proactive in using the Sinopharm vaccine ... After conducting assessments at the local level, the vaccine proved to be effective and safe. Moreover, it has important features such as easy transportation and storage," the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA) said.

A health sector spokesperson explained that the Sinopharm vaccine was conventionally manufactured based on an inactive virus. "So, this gives a greater safety and efficacy percentage to protect against dangerous complications.

"The vaccine has also proven to be effective in many countries worldwide that have participated in its clinical trials at various stages."

The official also said that more than 72.03 per cent of the total eligible population have got the vaccine. Close to 80 per cent of the elderly (60 years and above) have received the jab.

In all, the UAE has administered 11.18 million Covid vaccine doses, with a rate of 113.10 doses per 100 people.

The official also cited a local study that found a significant decrease in the rate of Covid-19 infections among fully vaccinated residents. "The effectiveness of vaccination in preventing people from having to go to hospital is 93 per cent, while in reducing the need for intensive care, it is 95 per cent."