UAE’s NCEMA top official receives first dose of Covid-19 vaccine

The Director-General of the National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Management Authority (NCEMA) Obaid Rashid Al Shamsi, has been administered the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine.

“In alignment with the leadership’s vision, the availability of this safe, effective vaccine will contribute to save and protect lives,” he added.

The UAE has authorised the emergency use of the vaccine as part of the country’s measures to protect health workers in close contact with Covid-19 patients and ensure their safety, official news agency WAM reported.

Read more: UAE permits emergency use of new Covid-19 vaccine for frontline staff in the country

Several health officials in the UAE have received their first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine last month. This includes Dr. Youssif Al Serkal, assistant under-secretary for the hospital sector and director general of the Emirates Health Services Corporation; Dr. Hussein Abdel Rahman Al-Rand, under-secretary of the ministry’s health assistant sector, health centres, and clinics; and Awad Saghir Al Ketbi, assistant under-secretary of the support services sector.

Read: Health officials in UAE receive first dose of Covid-19 vaccine

That was preceded by the UAE’s minister of Health and Prevention, Abdul Rahman Al Owais, receiving the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine.

Read more: UAE health minister gets first dose of Covid-19 vaccine

The UAE registered 1,413 new cases of the novel coronavirus infection on October 14, marking its highest daily rise in new infections since the virus was first spotted in the country.

The registered infection pool has risen to 110,039, of which 450 people have succumbed to the virus.