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Al Hosn Discontinues COVID-19 Reporting, Shifts Focus to Vaccination Records

by Swati Gupta

September 13, 2023 21

The UAE has ceased updating the COVID-19 status of residents on the Al Hosn app, announcing that the app’s updated version will eventually become mandatory for vaccination records in schools, according to officials on Wednesday.

The Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) has introduced an upgraded version of the Al Hosn app, originally designed to help combat the spread of COVID-19 by recording residents’ COVID-positive or negative status.

On Tuesday, the ministry revealed that the enhanced app would now include comprehensive vaccination records for children aged from birth to 18 years.

During a press conference following the launch of the updated app on Wednesday, MoHAP officials clarified that the app would no longer display the COVID-19 status of residents.

Dr. Hussain Al Rand, Assistant Undersecretary for Public Health at MoHAP, addressed the change, stating, “Previously, people could check on the app if they are COVID-positive or negative.”

“Now they can check the vaccination status of their children—when they have received their vaccinations and when the next vaccination is due,” he explained.

Dr. Al Rand further emphasized that health officials no longer consider COVID-19 a significant threat to public health, despite reports of cases with various mutations worldwide. He stated, “COVID is now over… If you are very ill, you will visit your physician, and he will examine you and prescribe the necessary medications. However, healthcare facilities are no longer grappling with COVID cases.”

Vaccination Records Take Center Stage

Dr. Al Rand confirmed that the Al Hosn app would ultimately replace vaccination record books for children and become mandatory for vaccination records in schools. This decision was taken by Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Chairman of the Education and Human Resources Council.

Dr. Nada Al Marzooqi, Director of Public Health and Prevention at MoHAP, added that the app would be further enhanced to include all vaccination reports for residents of different age groups.

However, she clarified that at the current stage, the app only provides records of children whose vaccinations are documented with healthcare facilities in the Northern Emirates.

Dr. Al Marzooqi explained, “The beta version is currently in use. You can update the app and check if you have children of that age (below 18) and if their vaccination details are recorded in government or private healthcare facilities in the Northern Emirates.”

The app currently displays the due dates for upcoming vaccinations and will, in the future, send out alerts. Dr. Al Marzooqi stated, “We are also sending out awareness messages through the app to educate parents about different vaccines and the importance of administering them at specific ages.”

In the next phase, children’s immunization certificates from all the emirates will be integrated into the Al Hosn app, making it convenient for families to access vaccination documents for their children whenever needed. This integration is being carried out in collaboration with the National Immunization Programme. Ultimately, the app will encompass all vaccination records for residents of various age groups, a move facilitated by the Riayati platform, which provides unified medical records.

Once this integration is complete, residents will have the capability to download various types of vaccination certificates directly from the Al Hosn app.

Regarding travel vaccinations, Dr. Al Marzooqi noted that travel vaccines adhere to the mandates set by the World Health Organization (WHO) for international travel. She explained that discussions are underway to explore the possibility of linking Al Hosn with any app recognized by the WHO in the future, stating, “We are in close collaboration and negotiation with the WHO to see if there is any app ready, so we can easily link it with our application in the future.”