Abu Dhabi: Since the launch of the first global trials of an inactivated coronavirus vaccine in Abu Dhabi, thousands of citizens have signed up to verify the protection and efficacy of the vaccine.
The vaccine itself evolved through Chinese pharmaceutical giant Sinopharm China National Biotec Group, and has been shown to generate antibodies in all other people who won two injections 28 days apart in Phase I and Phase II.
In the United Arab Emirates, the trials, called 4Humanity, are sponsored through the Abu Dhabi-based Corporate Group 42 of Synthetic Intelligence and Cloud Computing, and are overseen through the Abu Dhabi Health Regulator, the Ministry of Health (DoH) and the United Arab Emirates. . Ministry of Health and Prevention. Abu Dhabi’s public exercise provider, the Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (Seha), conducts trials and manages all medical facets and patient information.
People of all nationalities aged between 18 and 60 years, and living in the UAE, are eligible to participate in the trials, as long as they meet other inclusion criteria. For instance, they cannot have suffered from COVID-19, be immunocompromised, or be suffering from other chronic conditions.
In the first three weeks or so, trials were open only in Abu Dhabi emirate, with more than 10,000 people reportedly volunteering. In addition to a dedicated registration website, a walk-in clinic and vaccination centre was set up at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (Adnec).
On Wednesday, Seha opened its first outdoor vaccine testing center in Abu Dhabi, located at the Al Qarayen Health Center in Sharjah.
Apart from the more than 5,000 people who signed up for the trials in the first 24 hours after its launch on July 16, a lot of people also volunteered over the recent Eid break.
Gulf News spoke to a cross-section of people, and will follow the journey of three volunteers as they undergo the 42-day trial process.
Why I am doing it: I’ve been very excited about the vaccine trials ever since they were announced last month, and noted excitedly how quickly the first 5,000 volunteers came forward. So as soon as the sign-up website was launched, I registered myself.
Any vaccine that is developed will be for the good of humanity as whole, and I want to be a part of the process.
Registration: On August 1, I was visiting my circle of relatives in Al Dhafra city in Liwa when I received a message asking me to come for the evaluation and the vaccine. I could have stayed longer, but I’d go home to the capital so I could take the tests the next day.
I went to the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center (Adnec) in the morning, arriving at noon. I didn’t know exactly where to go, but there were many other people available to consult me.
Receiving the vaccine – Day 0: I went to the gate 5 parking lot, then I arrived on the floor of the floor, where the vaccine trials are organized.
At first, I was asked if I had recently been tested for COVID-19. Employees in a semi-government company, they test us every two weeks. So, when I informed the volunteers, they gave me a green headband. I think other people who haven’t been evaluated recently have a red stripe.
Then I was directed to the check-in desk, where I had to provide my ID. It only took a few minutes to record my non-public information, and then I was taken to a room where a nurse did an initial evaluation. I took my blood pressure and the temperature of the picture, and I had a urine test to see if I was pregnant. He also took a blood pattern and a nasal swab.
Then a doctor came here for a medical evaluation. I asked about my general fitness and, as the doctor found out there was nothing to worry about, I referred to the vaccine delivery room.
A nurse shot me in the upper arm. It was not uncomfortable; it was like a normal injection. Then they introduced me to a new thermometer so I could control the temperature of my blood, an N95 mask box and a brochure. The nurse explained to me how I could fill the symptoms I had detected and how to touch the Abu Dhabi Health Services Society (Seha) if I didn’t feel well.
She also gave me three hundred Dh coupons, which I didn’t expect!
Then they took me to a room, where I waited about 30 minutes. A nurse would come every 10 minutes to check me, adding the temperature of my picture and blood pressure.
When they were convinced I was okay, I was able to get home.
The next day — Day 1: I received an SMS the very next day telling me that I should expect a call for teleconsultation. The person on the line asked me in detail how I was feeling, and when I had nothing to report, I was told I could expect my next call on August 5.
Today – Day 3: I still feel wonderful and I don’t have much to say. So this morning we’re going to call a regimen check. I hope this continues in the same way, and I am extremely happy to see that my body produces antibodies opposite COVID-19 after the vaccine.
The verdict: until now, the total procedure has been very simple, and it has not been a genuine challenge from the moment I had to commit. I was told that this total procedure had to be in town, which is not really too complicated at the moment. As this is Phase III, I know that this vaccine has been effective and safe in the first two stages of trials, so I don’t think you have any problems with that. For now, I am proud to be a component of this historic procedure.
Why I am doing it: The entire world is facing one of the worst catastrophes because of this pandemic. People are losing loved ones and facing loss and often, constant suffering.
If I can alleviate this challenge by participating in a vaccine trial, I’d be happy.
Besides, I face constant risk of contracting COVID-19 because of my work on the front lines. Participating in a vaccine trial shouldn’t significantly alter this risk, I believe. So when we received an email from our employer encouraging us to volunteer, I decided to go ahead with it.
Registration: because in Al Ain, the trials forced me to move to the clinic without an appointment from Abu Dhabi in Adnec. So I left after the paintings on August 3, arriving at the clinic at 7 p.m.
I found the parking lot at the moment on the simple floor and went down to the clinic.
Receiving the vaccine – Day 0: A volunteer asked me if I had been tested for COVID-19 in the last two weeks. This is a requirement for all physical health professionals, so a stripe has been placed on my wrist.
At the check-in desk, I presented my Emirates ID and waited for me to check in. Then I won a brochure and a consent form.
Referring to a room, a nurse came here to do some initial temperature and blood pressure checks, and then a general practitioner evaluated me medically. He asked me if I had chronic illnesses or if I was taking medication. Confirming that I’m healthy, they let me take the next step.
First I had to point out the consent form, which also said that any remedy that needed the vaccine testing procedure would be completely covered.
Then a nurse took my blood to remove a full metabolic panel and administered a nasal swab.
I then headed to another room to receive the vaccine shot. It took a while for the vaccine to be brought from the pharmacy. The shot was given in the deltoid muscle in the upper arm, and I was then told how to record any symptoms that I noticed from then on. I was also given a thermometer as a gift.
In the room, I waited for about an hour while a nurse watched me from time to time.
In the absence of a replacement or reaction, the medical bracelet got undone and I was able to move home.
The next day – Day 1: I was called the next day. The fitness professional asked me if I felt feverish or tired, or if I had had a cough. I hadn’t, but I was a little tired of the road to Abu Dhabi.
And then: I have my next teleconsultation scheduled for August 9. I’ll also have to go through my time on August 24th, and I’ve already been booked. So I move on to the paintings of the day and I head to Abu Dhabi.
The verdict: I’ll have to admit it’s probably a commitment to participate in the trials. You will need to record the symptoms and the day of filming and for normal teleconsicts. But it’s been more than 8 months since the epidemic began, so it’s time for us to end a vaccine.
My circle of relatives in Egypt, adding up my five eldest daughters from one to 20, was a little worried when I first told them I signed up for those essays. But now they’re proud of me.
Why I do this: The faster a COVID-19 vaccine is available, the faster we can re-generalize and provide relief to thousands of others around the world. And the more people volunteer for those trials, the faster developers can create a vaccine.
I think there’s a chance this vaccine will work. There have already been two successful tests, after all.
So, when I heard about the need for more volunteers, I left.
Registration: I went down to Adnec on Saturday, August 1 at 6 p.m.
I gave it a green stripe showing that it had recently been examined for COVID-19, and then I went to the check-in counters. It is undeniable and all I had to do was provide my Emirates ID and my mobile number. I also won a vaccination diary right now.
In a room nearby, then I evaluated medically. A nurse took my blood pressure and temperature, and when they were normal, took a blood pattern and a nasal swab to check for coronavirus.
I was then directed to a vaccination room. Everything was routine, and I received a shot on my upper arm.
In the room, I had to wait about 30 minutes. The nurses came here several times to check my temperature, blood pressure and oxygen saturation levels. They also explained how to fill the journal of the vaccine with all the symptoms she had detected and how to touch Seha if she had shortness of breath or diarrhea, for example. Besides, they gave me snacks.
Once time passed, I went home.
The next day – Day 1: I faced some swelling and tenderness around the injection site, but I had no other symptoms. I reported on the teleconsultation, but the discomfort dissipated on its own.
And then I asked for my vaccination ebook back on the eighth day.
The verdict: The entire process was very smooth and easy, and there were a lot of people to assist throughout the process.
My circle of relatives was worried at first when I told them I would volunteer for the tests. But now, seeing that I’m okay, they’re comfortable with the idea.
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