Emirati Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed has been vaccinated against COVID-19, one month after the United Arab Emirates (UAE) approved the emergency use of a vaccine developed by a Chinese company for front-line workers.
Sharing the news on Twitter on Friday, Abdullah posted a picture of himself giving a thumbs-up while what appears to be a health-care worker gives him the injection.
“Vaccination against coronavirus is our way to return to normal life,” the minister wrote, along with a hashtag in Arabic, reading “vaccinated”.
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Abdullah, who is also the brother of the country’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed, is the latest Emirati official to receive the vaccine in the past months.
Health Minister Abdel-Rahman al-Owais was vaccinated in September shortly after he said the government had authorised the emergency use of the vaccine to those who are most exposed to COVID-19 patients.
The UAE has been carrying out phase III clinical trials of vaccines developed by Chinese pharmaceutical company Sinopham since July.
Other UAE officials have also received the vaccine, including the crown prince’s son, Khalid.
Officials at the foreign ministry and workers at Sharjah airport have also received the vaccine.
The health ministry said in September that around 31,000 people had volunteered to take part in the trials, adding that no serious side effects had been recorded so far.
The UAE has recorded more than 110,000 coronavirus cases.
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