Discounts for those vaccinated

Dubai restaurants have begun offering discounts to customers who have been inoculated against the coronavirus amid a vaccination drive, as the emirate seeks to fight the pandemic without closing its doors.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) says it has vaccinated some 2.5 million of its roughly 10 million people, 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% discount to residents who have taken the first dose of a vaccine and 20% 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 last month after approving vaccines made by Chinese firm Sinopharm and US drugmaker Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech.

Dubai’s health authority said it would have to scale back on vaccinations after Pfizer announced shipment delays. The Sinopharm vaccine is still available.

Despite a sharp spike in cases this year, Dubai is still open for tourism and restaurants are operating with rules on masking and social distancing.

Last weekend the guidelines were tightened, with the number of people allowed at gatherings slashed from 200 to 10, and restaurants and cafes were ordered to increase spacing between tables from two metres to three.

Dubai reopened to visitors in July last year.

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 and 792 deaths. –