Some 13,000 people across the UAE have taken the Sotrovimab drug to treat Covid-19.
The anti-viral medicine, which is produced by global biopharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), was approved by the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) in May following a series of tests in collaboration with the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH) and Dubai Health Authority (DHA).
At the weekly media briefing, Dr. Noura Al Ghaithi, acting executive director of External Therapeutic Services, revealed that studies showed Sotrovimab prevents complications leading to death by 97 percent and ICU admissions by 99.5 percent, with full recovery being achieved within 14 days after taking the drug at a rate of 99 percent and hospitalisations being reduced by 20 percent.
The drug can be used to treat adults and children over the age of 12.
Dr Al Ghaithi said: “The UAE was among the first countries of the world to receive a shipment of Sotrovimab, one of the most successful anti-viral medicine in treating mild to moderate Covid-19 cases among high-risk patients including adults, pregnant women and children aged 12 and above who are at risk of progressing to severe symptoms and meet other relevant criteria.”
Sotrovimab is a monoclonal antibody treatment delivered through intravenous therapy in accordance with protocols developed by the National Scientific Committee.
Dr. Al Ghaithi noted that 79.3 percent of the country’s population have received their first dose of vaccination while 70.96 percent have received both doses.
The UAE has one of the fastest vaccine rollouts in the world, having administered more than 16.8 million doses to its population of about 10 million.
Vaccines from Pfizer Inc., AstraZeneca Plc and the Sputnik V are approved for use in the country, although the UAE’s inoculation program has hinged on the Sinopharm jag, which is being produced locally and which won backing from the World Health Organisation earlier this year.
Follow us on
