A viral WhatsApp message which mentions UAE is now permitting vaccination for visiting parents has been doing the rounds lately. CT Dubai called the Indian Consulate in Dubai to cross check and turns out the news is FAKE. There is no such mission seeking applications for vaccinating expats’ parents who are in the UAE on a visit visa. Read on for further clarification.
Indian Consulate In Dubai Dismisses Viral Messages On Vaccines For Visiting Parents
The viral WhatsApp message read:
“Ladies and gentlemen, this link is for the Consulate General of India Dubai. We spoke to them a couple of days ago about trying to arrange vaccine for our parents who are on visit visa. When we spoke to them they said if we have enough number of people requesting us, then we can approach the government for arranging vaccination for seniors who are here on visit visa. So please send your messages in … and type out the details and maybe our parents will have a shot or two! (sic).”
A spokesperson to the consulate dismissed the message and called it a rumor. The consulate also urged expats not to believe in any such messages.
“There is no such information from our authorities here and currently, only UAE residents holding valid Emirates ID are eligible for vaccination. We urge expats and residents not to believe in such rumors and avoid forwarding false news to others,” the official cautioned.
While there is no update on whether the UAE will launch vaccine vacations, a few other countries have began offering vaccine vacations to tourists. Recently, the Maldives had announced that tourists can get COVID-19 jabs in the island nation while enjoying an all-inclusive holiday. And now, a Delhi-based agency is offering a 24-day package tour to Russia priced at approximately AED 5000 per person.
Travellers also have the option to travel to Moscow and get the Sputnik V jab. You will need two doses of Sputnik V in an interval of 21-days to be fully vaccinated. As reported by TOI, with the 24-day package, you will be able to explore Russia between the jabs.
The Package Includes Flight Fares, Food, & Sightseeing
You will be administered the first shot the very first day after arrival to Moscow. You will then spend three days in St Petersburg and the remaining days in Moscow. The package includes flight fares on Aeroflot flights, breakfast, dinner, accommodation in 3-star hotels and the local sightseeing. There is an additional visa charge of ₹10,000 which is not included in the package.
No RT-PCR Test Or Quarantine Required To Visit Russia
Russia tops the list of nations with most number of fully vaccinated residents in the world. You will not need an RT-PCR test report, nor will you require to quarantine after arrival in Russia. Besides, Russia has been accepting all visa applications including tourist visas at its visa application centres in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, and Kolkata. A few days back, Sputnik V invited Twitter users to follow its account, saying, “Our social media followers will be the first to be invited to get #SputnikVaccinated in Russia when the programme starts.”