During the UAE government media briefing.. Surge in COVID-19 infection was observed in the UAE

Dr. Farida Al Hosani, the official spokesperson for the health sector:

• More than 87.17% of the total eligible group were vaccinated, and 97.52% of the elderly group aged over 60 years have received the vaccine.

• While some countries have detected multiple mutations, we observed that the countries that have implemented national vaccination campaigns succeeded in controlling the pandemic. The mutations affect the spread of the virus and its transmission speed, but they do not lead to a change in its composition.

• Virus mutations are constantly monitored and followed up to learn about the latest developments and their impact on the effectiveness of various vaccinations. We stress that mutations pose a high risk to society, especially those not vaccinated, so we call upon unvaccinated community members to take the vaccine.

• The Ministry of Health, in cooperation with health authorities, is working on studying and analyzing the effectiveness of the vaccine among vaccinated people. The COVID-19 vaccines are considered new and still under scientific studies globally to monitor their efficiency and impact on those who contract the virus after receiving the vaccine.

• The study shows that those who received the two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine and the booster dose are less prone to infection, complications and hospitalisation, in addition to reduced hospital stay without the need of ventilators, compared to the unvaccinated group.

• The booster dose is a means of enhancing the immune response. When you get the booster dose, the antibodies reappear, and their numbers multiply in the body, in addition to the increased presence of specialized memory cells as they are programmed to target and eliminate the pathogen.

• A surge in infection was observed in the UAE, especially after Eid Al-Fitr holidays, as a result of failure to comply with the precautionary measures and gatherings. Therefore, we call upon the public with the approach of the holiday season and Eid Al-Adha to adhere to preventive measures.

• We call for the adherence to precautionary measures, such as physical distancing and wearing masks, even after receiving the vaccine.