The UAE has quietly launched vaccine tourism, with the emirate of Abu Dhabi offering visitors free jabs after approving the inoculation of all those with visas issued by its authorities.

Abu Dhabi has not officially announced that it is vaccinating tourists, but authorities in the emirate said in a brief statement earlier this month that free Covid-19 vaccines were approved for everyone with an “entry visa”.

Abu Dhabi's healthcare app has a facility for visitors to register either for the US-German Pfizer/BioNTech jab or the Chinese-made vaccine Sinopharm, according to AFP.

Visitors can book appointments using their passport information on the app, which states that those with an Abu Dhabi-issued visa or with passports “eligible for visa on arrival” can register to be vaccinated.