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HEALTH-VIRUS-UAE-DUBAI
Dubai restaurants offer discounts for vaccinated diners
DUBAI, Jan 25, 2021 (BSS/AFP) – Dubai restaurants have begun offering
discounts to customers who have been inoculated against coronavirus, amid a
vaccination drive as the emirate seeks to fight the pandemic without closing
its doors.
The United Arab Emirates says it has already vaccinated some 2.5 million
of its population of about 10 million, the second highest rate globally after
Israel.
“Spread love, not Rona,” say social media fliers for three restaurants run
by Gates Hospitality, offerings a 10 percent discount to residents who have
taken the first dose of a vaccine and 20 percent for those who have taken
two.
Diners must show proof of inoculation, such as a medical certificate, to
get the discount.
While some people welcomed the move, it raised eyebrows on social media.
“There’s two ways to look at it, either it’s another marketing stunt, or a
genuine motivation to get more people vaccinated,” said one tweet.
The UAE, made up of seven emirates including Dubai, began mass
inoculations in December after approving vaccines made by Chinese firm
Sinopharm and US drugmaker Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech.
Dubai’s health authority said this week it would have to scale back on
vaccinations after Pfizer announced shipment delays due to works at its key
plant in Belgium. The Sinopharm vaccine is still freely available.
Despite a sharp spike in cases since the New Year, Dubai is still open for
tourism and restaurants and services are operating, although with rules on
masking and distancing.
Over the weekend the guidelines were tightened, with the number of people
allowed at social gatherings slashed from 200 to 10, and restaurants and
cafes ordered to increase spacing between tables from two metres to three.
The glitzy emirate has also suspended non-essential surgery in hospitals
after a surge in Covid-19 infections.
While other tourist destinations are applying tight restrictions to
control the pandemic, Dubai reopened to visitors in July.
On Sunday, the UAE announced 3,579 Covid-19 cases, a new high for the 13th
consecutive day. It has so far recorded over 277,000 infections, including
792 deaths.
BSS/AFP/MSY/1838 hrs