Connect with us

Health

UAE doctors urge uptake of COVID-19 booster shot after Omicron variant discovery

Doctors in the United Arab Emirates have urged residents to get their COVID-19 booster jab after the first case of the Omicron variant was discovered in the country.

Speaking to Al Arabiya English, Dr Azeem Abdul Salam Mohamad, a specialist in Internal Medicine at Bareen International Hospital at MBZ City, said: “COVID-19 booster shots raise the antibody levels and offer both longer term protection and stronger immune response against COVID-19 variants.

For more coronavirus news, visit our dedicated page.

“Emergence of new variants like B .1.1.529 or Omicron reiterates the importance of booster shots to maintain immunity.”

It is recommended that all individuals above the age of 18 years should take booster shot after 6 months of second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, the doctor said.
“Studies have shown that protection against COVID-19 from mRNA vaccines like Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna may last longer after the booster dose than after original two shot regimen.”
“The importance of booster shots become significant in view of the finding that there were no serious cases caused by variants among vaccinated people.”
The UAE’s Ministry of Health detected on Wednesday the first case of the Omicron variant in the country, state news agency WAM reported.

The new variant was identified in an African woman who traveled from an African country and transited through an Arab country. She had received both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.

The health authorities isolated her, and she is being monitored. People who were in contact with her were also isolated.

The UAE is the second Gulf country to detect a case of Omicron infection after Saudi Arabia announced its first case earlier this week/.

The WHO had declared that Omicron, which was detected last month in South Africa, was a variant of concern.

The UAE has announced on November 26 suspending the entry of travelers from South Africa, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Zimbabwe, Botswana, and Mozambique, as a precautionary measure against the spread of Omicron.

However, Emirati citizens will be allowed to enter the UAE coming from those countries given that they present a negative COVID-19 tests obtained within 48 hours of departure, take a PCR test upon arrival in the airport and quarantine for 10 days.

The UAE has reported in November that 100 percent of the population has received one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and 90.3 percent have been fully vaccinated.
The Gulf country also made COVID-19 vaccine booster shots available for everyone over the age of 18 amid rising concerns over Omicron.

UAE health sector spokesperson Farida al-Hosani urged all residents to get their booster vaccine.

For all the latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app.

“The ministry has made the booster shot available for all categories of people over the age of 18 who have received two doses of the Pfizer-BionTech and Sputnik vaccine, given that six months have passed since they received the second dose,” she said.

“We advise everyone to take the booster dose as soon as possible, specifically the elderly and those with chronic diseases. Vaccination contributes to increasing immunity and preventing infection, severe symptoms and deaths, especially when dealing with variants,” she added.

Read more:

UAE reports its first case of COVID-19 variant Omicron

UAE residents have mixed feelings about travel amid COVID-19 variant Omicron

UAE offers COVID-19 vaccine booster shots for adults amid concern over Omicron

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Health

World News in Brief: Burkina Faso attack denounced, support frontline communities fighting AIDS, Syrian child casualties, Olympic champ new UN migration ambassador

The UN human rights office, OHCHR, said it was appalled by the recent killing of dozens of civilians in the Sahel region of northern Burkina Faso.

Continue Reading

Health

Mubadala Health Dubai’s multipurpose gym a resounding success during Dubai Fitness Challenge

Mubadala Health Dubai, an M42 company, played a principal role in the recent Dubai Fitness Challenge (DFC 30×30) as the Association Partner at the DP World Kite Beach Fitness Village. The idea was to encourage people to adopt the habit of exercising for 30 minutes a day for 30 days. Located on the shorelines of Dubai’s Kite Beach, the state-of-the-art, three-tiered gym featured cardio-based workouts on the ground floor, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on the first floor, and dedicated core and functional training on the second floor. Additionally, free daily classes led by Technogym Master Trainers were available to fitness enthusiasts. Other activities available at the Fitness Village included aerobics, boxing, yoga, rowing, padel, cricket, gymnastics and yoga sessions.
Although the DFC 30×30 has now concluded, Mubadala Health Dubai’s commitment to promoting an active lifestyle and fostering a fitness-focused mindset persists. Conveniently situated in Jumeirah, Mubadala Health Dubai’s Specialty Clinic & Day Surgery Center is home to a diverse team of internationally acclaimed experts, comprising orthopedic specialists, sports medicine professionals, physiotherapists, rehabilitation experts, nutritionists, weight management specialists and family medicine practitioners. Together, they guide and empower patients to pursue an active and healthy lifestyle through its comprehensive healthcare services for pediatrics, adults, and senior citizens.

Continue Reading

Health

Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi achieves pioneering ACCME® accreditation milestone in the UAE

Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, part of the M42 network, has become one of the UAE’s pioneering healthcare organisations to receive Provisional Accreditation from the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME®). The accreditation acknowledges the hospital as a distinguished provider of Continuing Medical Education (CME), further empowering the institution to grant credits for local, regional, and international medical education programs, including the American Medical Association (AMA) Physician’s Recognition Award (PRA) Category 1 Credit™. Dr. Jorge Guzman, Chief Executive Officer of Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, expressed his
gratitude, stating, “This groundbreaking achievement is a testament to our steadfast
commitment to excellence in medical education and healthcare delivery. With this milestone
accreditation, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi has set its sight on attracting a global audience of
medical education facilitators, organizers, and decision-makers, as we continue to set new
benchmarks and raise the bar, ensuring that the UAE remains at the forefront of medical
innovation and expertise. We will continue to focus on upskilling of local and global talent to
strengthen UAE’s positioning as a medical education hub.” The ACCME accreditation reinforces the commitment of CME providers to ensure that medical education remains fair, balanced, evidence-based, valid, relevant to clinicians’ needs, evaluated for its effectiveness, and free from any commercial influence. By achieving this designation, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi strengthens its mission to ‘educate those who serve’ and solidifies its role in advancing medical knowledge with the highest standards of integrity. Dr. Sawsan Abdel-Razig, Chief Academic Officer at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, commented, “We are truly honored to be recognized as a leading ACCME-accredited organization in the UAE. Our Education Department designs robust, competency-based education and professional development programs that provide world-class healthcare education to current and future healthcare providers. This achievement further enhances Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi’s
reputation and its ability to build a sustainable healthcare sector in the UAE.”

Continue Reading

Trending