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DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) – In normal times, crowds of young residents of Southeast Asia would gather outside the Sikh temple in Dubai to pray or wait for a hot meal.
A fundamental tenet of the world’s fifth organized religion with over 50,000 adherents in the UAE is the act of providing free homemade vegetarian meals to anyone in need, Sikh or otherwise. It’s a deeply spiritual practice that can also be a lifeline in Dubai, where millions of low-paid workers from Asia, Africa and elsewhere fuel a service economy.
But in recent days, the Sikhs in Dubai have found another way to practice “seva,” or selfless service. Instead of common prayers and vibrantly flavored basmati rice and dal, they are offering what has become a much coveted prize: 5,000 injections of the Chinese-made vaccine given to people of all ages and backgrounds. As the coronavirus pandemic reaches unprecedented heights in the United Arab Emirates, residents scramble for vaccines in the world’s second fastest inoculation campaign.
“We found a lot of people who wanted to take this vaccine and they are having difficulty,” said Surender Singh Kandhari, the temple president.
Kandhari said many frontline medical workers who had not been vaccinated elsewhere due to shortages and new age restrictions were lining up to be vaccinated in the temple parking lot on Monday. “This is the only way we can serve the community,” he said.
The United Arab Emirates, with a vaccination campaign that only follows Israel, has administered 4.4 million vaccines to the country of about 10 million. The UAE did not establish eligibility criteria when it approved the Sinopharm vaccine for anyone 16 years of age and older, unlike many Western countries which prioritized vaccine distribution based on use, age or health conditions. Last December, the United Arab Emirates said the Chinese-made vaccine was 86% effective in preventing infection, an announcement that lacked data and other details. Dubai also offers the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, but has much less and has only made it available to the elderly and people with medical conditions.
Dubai, which has opened its doors to travelers fleeing difficult lockdowns at home, is banking on widespread immunity to COVID-19 to save its stagnant economy. The worsening epidemic has infected more than 329,000 people and killed 930.
But like elsewhere in the world, logistical problems have overtaken the national campaign. Amid a Pfizer vaccine shortage and soaring virus cases, the government announced on Sunday that it would temporarily limit vaccinations to residents and citizens over 60 or those with chronic health conditions. Dozens of expats across the country have learned that their appointments have been abruptly canceled.
Before the restrictions went into effect, powerful administrators at Dubai’s Sikh place of worship struck a deal with healthcare company Tamouh to administer the Chinese vaccine to thousands of people – drivers, grocery store workers, doctors. – who might otherwise have difficulty getting vaccinated. The temple began distributing beatings over the weekend.
On Monday, there was a palpable sense of relief as the men and women walked out of the Golden Temple under the bright winter sun.
“It’s best to think positively and get the shot, whichever you can get,” Suleman Yakoob Gangad, a 51-year-old driver in Dubai, said, recalling the fear he felt when his roommate was tested. positive in its dormitory style accommodation. where four workers live packed into one room. “We have to think like that to protect ourselves and others.
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