UAE, Bahrain to offer Sinopharm Covid-19 booster shots

The United Arab Emirates said on Tuesday it would offer a booster shot of the Covid-19 vaccine from China's state-owned drugmaker Sinopharm at least six months after the initial two doses. Gulf neighbour Bahrain also said it would offer a third dose of the vaccine, at least six months after the second shot, starting with more vulnerable groups. The UAE offer is part of its ‘proactive strategy to provide maximum protection for society’, the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA) said, with priority given to those aged over 60 or suffering a chronic disease. The World Health Organization, which last week approved the Sinopharm shot for emergency use, has said a large Phase III trial had shown that its two doses, administered at an interval of 21 days, had an efficacy of 79% against symptomatic infection, 14 or more days after the second dose.