The United Arab Emirates will offer a third dose of the Chinese Sinopharm vaccine for those who have already received the first two shots, officials announced Tuesday, according to Newsweek.
“As part of the state’s proactive strategy to provide maximum protection for society, the door has been opened for the public to receive an additional supportive dose of Sinopharm vaccine for people who have received the vaccine previously and who have completed more than six months on the second dose,” said Dr. Farida al-Hosani, an Emirati health spokeswoman, during a statement broadcast on state television, Newsweek reported.
Many recipients of the Chinese Sinopharm vaccine have raised worries about its efficacy.
The UAE plans to offer a third Sinopharm shot to people who’ve already got two doses, amid concerns over the efficacy of the vaccine https://t.co/S4JInxEjKW
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In April, China’s CDC Director Gau Fu admitted the Sinopharm vaccine does not adequately protect recipients from COVID-19, according to the Associated press. (RELATED: China Says Its COVID-19 Vaccines Don’t Work Well, Then Backtracks)
“We will solve the issue that current vaccines don’t have very high protection rates,” Fu said, according to the AP. “It’s now under consideration whether we should use different vaccines from different technical lines for the immunization process.”
The Chinese government has shipped hundreds of millions of doses of the Sinopharm vaccine abroad, according to Newsweek.