UAE officials warn of two Pfizer booster shots after Sinopharm jab

The United Arab Emirates medical experts said taking two doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech booster shot after fully vaccinated with Sinopharm vaccine may pose a health risk.

Fully vaccinated community members should not insist on taking more than one dose of the COVID booster vaccine, as doing so may cause complications, Dr Farida Al Hosani, official spokesperson, UAE health sector, said during a media briefing on Sunday.

Residents of the United Arab Emirates who have taken two doses of Sinopharm vaccine are eligible to a booster dose of Pfizer-BioNTech six months after receiving their second dose.

As per media reports, local health authorities insist on a second booster shot – either because they want to improve their immunity or because they want to travel to Europe, where Pfizer and AstraZeneca are among the approved vaccines. In some cases, the Al-Hosn app does not display the dose and people try to take an extra dose for travel purposes.

“We note that some people may insist on taking more doses of the COVID-19 vaccine than recommended, which contradicts the opinion of doctors, and which may expose them to unwanted health complications,” the National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Management Authority said on Sunday.

“So we advise everyone to adhere to the opinion of the treating doctor in order to ensure their health and safety.”