UAE considering movement restrictions for unvaccinated residents

A senior official from the UAE government has confirmed that the country is considering imposing movement restriction on residents who are eligible for the Covid-19 vaccine, but have instead chosen not to receive the vaccine.

Dr. Saif Al Dhaheri, spokesperson for the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority, said during a press briefing on Tuesday, April 20, that strict measures are being studied soon across all sectors to restrict the movement of unvaccinated people and restrict their access to obtaining some services as a preventive measures to ensure the health and safety of others is preserved, reported state news agency WAM.

He said that willingly not receiving the vaccine puts a person’s family, loved ones and the community at risk. Receiving the vaccine will contribute to immunising and protecting this community as a whole from the pandemic.

We are all responsible towards society and have a role in preserving its health and safety, the vaccine is our best means to recover and return to a normal life.#TogetherWeRecover pic.twitter.com/ao5T3SRrAD

— NCEMA UAE (@NCEMAUAE) April 20, 2021

He added that individuals with medical conditions should consult a doctor to determine whether they are eligible for the vaccine.

The Covid-19 vaccine within the UAE is now available for those aged 16 and over.

Read: Covid-19 vaccination centre opens in Dubai World Trade Centre; minimum age for jab reduced to 16

Health authorities in Dubai recently expanded the eligibility criteria for those who could receive the vaccine. They confirmed that those who have been recently infected with the virus and had mild or non-symptomatic conditions during their illness can take their jabs after their isolation periods ends and no longer have to wait for three months after they recover from the infection. Additionally, women who are breastfeeding as well as those who are planning to conceive can take the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

Read: Covid-19: Dubai expands eligibility criteria for vaccine

On Tuesday, the UAE’s Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) has announced that 113,621 doses of the Covid-19 vaccine were administered in the past 24 hours.

The total number of doses provided up to today stands at 9,788,826, resulting in proving distribution rate of 98.97 doses per 100 people.

As of April 20, the total number of recorded cases in the UAE to 500,860. Including 1,903 new coronavirus cases over the preceding 24 hours. The total number of recoveries in the country stood at 483,180 and the number of deaths at 1,559.