Dr. Noura Al Ghaithi, Official Spokesperson of the Health Sector, has said that the UAE is following a distinguished model of precautionary measures to contain COVID-19 and its variants, by developing efficient testing protocols in line with the directives of the UAE’s leadership aimed at ensuring public health and safety.
During the UAE Government media briefing on the pandemic, Al Ghaithi stressed that the UAE is a leading country in setting an example to contain the pandemic and adopt the best-related practices. She noted that the strategic balance and cooperation between various sectors played a significant role in addressing the crisis. They all worked as one team to achieve a common goal, ensuring the community’s health and safety.
Under the framework of the health sector’s keenness to support the preventive measures, the country has reinforced its use of artificial intelligence (AI) to reduce infections and analyse information, to assist medical and nursing personnel in monitoring patients, she added.
"In light of the surge in infection rates in the country compared to previous weeks and months, we stress that the health and medical situation in all the country’s hospitals are stable. More than 55% of the hospital and ICU beds are empty, and the COVID-19 bed occupancy rate is below 3%," Al Ghaithi explained.
She also stressed the UAE has managed to monitor COVID-19 variants and implemented appropriate plans to address them, harness all available resources to contain them, and establish plans and programmes based on scientific data communicated by the World Health Organisation (WHO). She affirmed that medical teams around the country are working around the clock to monitor the pandemic, and all national sectors are cooperating with the health sector to analyse the local and international situations regarding the pandemic continually.
Reviewing resolutions and procedures regularly play a key role in ensuring the country can keep pace with the developing situation and implement appropriate procedures on time while providing the public with transparent information, she stated while pointing to the efforts of relevant authorities to curb the spread of the virus.
Al Ghaithi also noted the country has tightened the preventive measures, including imposing restrictions on passengers travelling to the UAE from countries witnessing a surge in infections and the emergence of variants, and the mandatory use of the green pass system on the Al Hosn application.
She then added that 100% of the population received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, and 91.50% are fully vaccinated.
"Due to the directives of the UAE’s leadership and the efforts of the national vaccination campaign, vaccines have been provided on a wide scale all around the country and to all segments of the community who are eligible to take the vaccine. Today, the country’s vaccination rate is getting higher, which will ensure the collective immunity of the community and supports the country’s recovery efforts," she further added.
Al Ghaithi thanked the entire community for taking the vaccine, lauding their key role in establishing sustainable collective immunity and the work of frontline defenders in addressing the pandemic.
She also stressed that the country prioritises people’s health and safety, therefore, taking the booster shot is the key to obtaining the necessary antibodies to counter variants.
She then explained that the booster shot is a major factor in protecting public health and the community’s safety and plays a crucial role in boosting collective immunity, especially during the current conditions.
"Studies have shown vaccines and booster doses significantly contribute to reducing the disease’s effects and play a major role in countering variants," she stated.
She urged all individuals aged 18 or over who are eligible to take the vaccine to head to the nearest vaccination centre and take the booster shot six months after taking the second dose of the vaccine.
Al Ghaithi said the health sector, in cooperation and coordination with its partners, is closely monitoring the pandemic in countries witnessing the emergence of variants, so those wishing to travel must monitor all information related to these countries.
Being vaccinated does not exempt people from adhering to the precautionary measures, such as wearing face masks, sanitising and keeping a safe physical distance, she added.
At the end of the briefing, Al Ghaithi stressed the importance of social responsibility and the critical role of community members in helping preserve the country’s achievements during the crisis. She urged the entire community to cooperate with the national efforts and adhere to precautionary measures to curb the spread of COVID-19, by wearing face masks, regularly sanitising and avoiding crowded areas.
News Source: Emirates News Agency
