DUBAI: Expo 2020 Dubai will offer the Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine, approved by UAE health authorities and already in widespread use across the country, to all its employees and members of their household. The vaccination will be administered at a dedicated hub on the Expo 2020 site, in collaboration with Al Tadawi Medical Centre.
The vaccination programme is part of Expo’s wider commitment to the health and well-being of its workforce, and follows the opening of mass testing facilities on site in April 2020. It is expected that more than a thousand employees and their families will receive the vaccine as part of the initiative.
“The health and safety of everyone at Expo 2020, including our workforce, suppliers and contractors, participants and visitors, has always been a key priority in our planning and operations. The global health challenges of the last 12 months have put this into even sharper focus,” Marjan Faraidooni, Chief Human Resources Officer, Expo 2020 Dubai, said.
“Offering the vaccine to all of our employees is the next step in safeguarding their well-being, as we remain focused on delivering on our commitment of a truly exceptional Expo when we open to the world in October. This follows a number of COVID-19 measures that we continue to implement and uphold to the highest degree in line with international guidelines and best practice, including social distancing, the wearing of masks, the use of sanitisation stations and thermal cameras.”
“We would like to begin by thanking our government and our wise leadership for their full support of the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive and the healthcare sector more widely. We also extend our thanks to Tumoh Healthcare for their continuous efforts in providing the vaccine,” Marwan Ibrahim Haji Nasser, Chairman and Managing Director, Al Tadawi Healthcare Group, said.
“As one of the leading medical facilities in Dubai, we are proud to be working with Expo 2020 in providing the COVID-19 vaccine to their workforce. The collaboration reflects Al Tadawi Healthcare Group’s ongoing efforts to serve the healthcare needs of the whole community, as well as support our nation’s comprehensive and coordinated efforts to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Expo’s vaccination drive has intensified efforts to work with all Expo and third party contractors to manage and mitigate the risks of COVID-19.
Launched in 2017, Expo’s pioneering Worker Wellness Programme provides wearable wellness technology to more than 5,000 workers, with the data collected supporting immediate enhancements in preventative health. Earlier this month, Expo 2020 received the prestigious British Safety Council’s Sword of Honour in recognition of the organisation’s dedication to ensuring the health and safety of its workforce. To date, more than 200 million work hours have been completed on site.
“Our highest priority remains ensuring that the people working behind the scenes to turn the UAE’s vision for Expo 2020 into reality continue to be safe and healthy. Our Better Together strategy drives our approach to worker welfare and health and safety on site and is based on the principles of care, respect and pride.
“As the first World Expo to be hosted in the Middle East, South Africa and Asia region, we have an incredible opportunity, and responsibility, to drive a shift in behaviour and advance health and safety and worker welfare standards throughout the industry for years to come,” Emma Seymour, Vice President of Worker Welfare, Expo 2020 Dubai, said.
Ahead of Expo 2020’s official opening on 1 October 2021, people from across the UAE have been invited to enjoy an exciting preview of the Expo’s three iconic Thematic Pavilions, beginning with Terra – the Sustainability Pavilion. In line with the latest guidance from Dubai Health Authority and the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention, a number of precautionary measures have been implemented to ensure the well-being of all visitors and staff. This includes capacity restrictions, thermal cameras at all arrival points, social distancing, mandatory mask wearing and hand sanitiser stations positioned across the site. Expo 2020 management is also using the Abbott Now Rapid nasopharyngeal molecular test for its F&B operators as well as workforce and volunteers.
Welcoming more than 200 participating nations and organisations and millions of visitors, Expo 2020 Dubai will showcase the best in human imagination, innovation and ingenuity. Running across 182 days from 1 October 2021 to 31 March 2022, it will offer unmissable and unforgettable experiences that will entertain and inspire people from around the world.
