On Dec. 9, the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention announced the official registration of the Sinopharm vaccine for Covid-19. The ministry, in collaboration with the Department of Health Abu Dhabi, DOH, reviewed the interim analysis of the vaccine’s phase III trials, which demonstrated that the vaccine had 86% efficacy against the virus. The vaccine, which was granted emergency use authorization in September, is now available to the public on a voluntary basis in clinics and hospitals enlisted by health authorities.

The Sinopharm vaccine relies on using a killed virus to deliver the vaccine and is able to be transported at a temperature of two to eight degrees celsius. The vaccine uses a compound that stops the virus from replicating, while still allowing it to trigger a response from the immune system. Given that the virus has been deactivated, the body’s response may be weak, and a second dose is required within 28 days.

The phase III trials conducted in the UAE beginning September included 31,000 volunteers from 125 nationalities. Volunteers aged between 18 and 60 years old received two doses of the vaccine over 28 days. During this period, the vaccine was also administered to frontline workers as a part of the Emergency Use Authorization. Upon completion of the phase III trials, MOHAP, in their statement regarding the registration of the vaccine, affirmed that “the analysis shows no serious safety concerns.”

While the results of the trial have not been formally published, the UAE health ministry said the vaccine is 86 percent effective in preventing Covid-19, and 100 percent effective in preventing moderate or severe cases of the disease. The results also showed that the vaccine successfully triggered an immune system response in 99 percent of patients and had no serious side effects.

Senior officials in the UAE, including Vice President and Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid AlMaktoum were given doses of the vaccine in November.

Valerie Li, Class of 2023, was one of the first students from NYU Abu Dhabi to receive the vaccine. She came to know about the vaccine’s availability in Abu Dhabi through her parents, who encouraged her to get the vaccine.

“I read news [about] the ruler of the Dubai … They took the vaccine long ago. So that means it [is] safe. I thought there would be no harm in taking it,” said Li.

Li received the vaccine on Dec. 8 as part of the Emergency Use Authorization, a day before it was officially registered. At the time of receiving the vaccine, she was not aware that it would be officially registered the following day. Li went to ADNEC to receive the vaccine, where a prior reservation was not necessary. She was asked to present a negative PCR report on the Al Hosn app. After registering with her Emirates ID, she was required to sit through a general checkup by a physician. The checkup was followed by a detailed health questionnaire that confirmed the participant was over 18 years of age, not pregnant and had no preexisting health conditions.

After receiving the vaccine, she was put into an observation room for 30 minutes where physicians checked for any immediate side effects. She shared that she found the process very smooth and that a lot of people were present to provide guidance.

“I think the results are quite convincing for me at least,” shared Li. “So I went and got it … It makes me feel more secure [having taken] a vaccine.”

NYUAD, in a memo sent on Dec. 10, stated that university leadership and the Health Center are closely following vaccine developments and will provide more guidance to students once they have a clearer understanding of the scientific results, approvals and availability of various vaccines, as well as the policies around them. University guidelines regarding quarantine and testing requirements remain the same at the time of reporting.

“Research more before you go. There are a lot of options [of vaccines] out there,” noted Li. You should really decide the timing: do you want to get it now or do you want to wait a bit. That really depends on your own reasoning and your mindset.”

Residents who were a part of the earlier trials and pregnant women are not eligible to take the vaccine. People with a history of convulsion, epilepsy, encephalopathy or mental illness, and coagulation dysfunction should not take the vaccine either. Additionally, those with a history of severe allergic reactions to vaccinations, those who have taken a live attenuated vaccine in the last month, or those who have taken other vaccines in the past two weeks will not be allowed to receive the Covid-19 vaccine.

The Sinopharm vaccine has been approved for emergency use in a few other countries and is being tested in late-stage clinical trials in 10 countries including Morocco, Brazil, and Jordan and Serbia.