The UAE has approved the COVID-19 vaccine manufactured by Sinopharm as of December 9 and many residents, including Filipino expats – have expressed their gratitude to the UAE’s commitment to safeguarding the health of the public after they received their first dose.
Agnes Marelid was among thousands of UAE residents who have been looking forward to receive the vaccine as she deems that this is a solution to end the pandemic.
“When the UAE approved the use of this vaccine for emergency use for frontliners, I started getting the confidence to get the shot. When the UAE government out with the release last Friday that residents can sign up, I didn’t think twice and decided to go for it together with my family,” shared Marelid who received her first jab last December 14 with her husband and two children, aged 21 and 19.
Marelid recalls that they had been mindful to observe any reactions that the first dose had but shared that there had been no reactions at all when they got their dose at Mediclinic in Abu Dhabi.
“Itong vaccine, nung tinurok na sa amin – sa awa ng Diyos wala namang side effect. Even immediately after the injection, wala kaming naramdaman. Tinanong ko yung asawa at mga anak ko, wala din naman silang nararamdaman na kakaiba,” said Marelid.
Marelid thanks the UAE government for giving a chance for all residents to get the COVID-19 vaccine to help protect her and her family from the threat of the coronavirus, adding that the UAE has shown its sincerity in caring for everyone living in the country.
“I would like to express my overflowing gratitude for the UAE leadership for providing this COVID-19 vaccine to all of its residents as it shows that they truly care for everyone, regardless of race, religion or cultural backgrounds,” shared Marelid.
Mild to no side effects
Juliet Pallasigue shared that her prime motivation behind getting the jab was to help keep her safe from COVID-19.
“Experts believe that getting a COVID-19 vaccine may help keep us from getting seriously ill and for me, safety is my top priority so I decided to get vaccinated,” said Pallasigue.
When she received the first dose, she shared that her body experienced minor side effects that only lasted for a few days.
“I got vaccinated last December 9 at the Sheikh Khalifa ADNEC center and when I got the first dose, I experienced body pain but only wtihin two days,” recalled Pallasigue.
“I want to thank each and every individual ( all frontliners) and the UAE authorities for their unconditional support. Other countries should learn from UAE on how to take care of people,” she added.
Pallasigue’s experience was echoed by Danest Mark Escama, who got his first dose of the vaccine last December 10 at the Al Manhal Majlis, in Abu Dhabi.
“Pagkatapos ng vaccine, masakit lang po yung braso ko, siguro dahil sa tusok. Wala naman na akong naramdaman na iba. The next day,okay naman po ako,” recalled Escama who said that he decided to get vaccinated to protect himself and his students from the threat of the virus.
He thanks the UAE government for the vaccine and hopes that this initiative will be the key to return back to normalcy.
“Sa UAE government, maraming salamat sa pagpapahalaga sa kaligtasan ng mga tao dito sa UAE. Naway matapos na ang pandemya at bumalik na sa normal ang lahat. At ganun din para manumbalik ang sigla ng ekonomiya ng UAE at magkaroon ng maraming trabaho para sa mga expats dito sa UAE,” said Escama.
Meanwhile, Albert Malabanan said that he didn’t feel any body aches nor any side effects he got the dose last December 13 at the Lifeline Hospital in Mussafah.
“Ang aking pakiramdam sa ngayon ay normal at wala aq nararamdaman na side effect. Nagdesisyon ako na magpabakuna dahil nakita ko ang resulta nito sa aking mga kamag-anak (Ina Ko, Tiyahin, Pinsan at sa aking bayaw) na walang side effect sa kanilang katawan. Nakita ko rin ang magandang layunin ng bansang ito na mapabuti ang kapakanan ng mga naninirahan dito,” said Malabanan.
He hopes that the UAE will continue to provide the vaccine for residents to help boost the immunity against the virus.
“Ang aking mesnahe sa bansang ito ay patuloy lamang sila sa kanilang mabuting gawa at sa mga adhikain na nagbibigay ng magandang benepisyo para sa mga tao nanininirahan dito. Lubos ang aking pasasalamat – una ay sa Diyos, pangalawa sa UAE, sa mga ganitong pribilehiyo,” said Malabanan.
Emergency use
Apart from the ongoing vaccination drive for residents, several more Filipinos in the UAE’s frontliners have thanked the country for the opportunity to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
Rafael Delfinado, who works as an inspector at a huge oil and gas company in the UAE, received his first dose last October and completed the full cycle with the second dose the following month. He shared that he didn’t feel any side effects, apart from shoulder pains.
“Nung nagpaturok po ako sa NMC Ruwais Hospital, wala po naman kritikal na naramdaman na side effect, except sa expected minor pain sa shoulder area kung saan tinurok ang vaccine,” recalled Delfinado who thanks the UAE’s leadership as he felt the sincerity of their actions to help keep them safe from the virus.
“I am so grateful and extremely fortunate to able to work here in Abu Dhabi and as whole, the UAE. I can feel the feel the Government sincerity in the concern for its people including us Expats especially during the pandemic. It gives me great relief that finally the vaccine against COVID-19 has officially rolled out for everyone. I personally thank the Leaders of this generous country for their clear and strong resolve to steer the country in the right direction,” said Delfinado.
Delfinado’s experience of minor pains was also echoed by Ramel Cenil, who received his first dose at the Madina Mohammed Bin Zayed health centre last November 30 as one of the country’s frontliners.
“After the COVID-19 vaccine injection, I only felt a heavy feeling on the injection site, other than that, there was nothing I observed that happened to me,” said Cenil who also thanked the UAE for being given the chance to get the vaccine.
“Thank you sa UAE government for having this kind of vaccination program that provides the COVID-19 vaccine for all, including us residents,” said Cenil.
