UAE announces emergency approval for use of Covid vaccine for frontline workers

The trials in UAE were jointly operated by UAE’s G42 and Chinese company Sinopharm

DUBAI: The United Arab Emirates has issued emergency approval for the use of a COVID-19 vaccine, currently in its third phase of testing in the Gulf country, health authorities said on Monday.

"The vaccine will be available to our first line of defense heroes who are at the highest risk of contracting the virus," said the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority in a tweet.

The trials in UAE were jointly operated by Abu Dhabi-based artificial intelligence company G42 Healthcare and Chinese company Sinopharm. 31,000 volunteers took the vaccine.

Sinopharm selected UAE for the Phase-II trials as the nation houses more than 200 nationalities, noted G42 in July.

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