DUBAI (Ruptly) – Some of Dubai’s restaurants have decided to provide discounts for visitors who have been inoculated against the coronavirus in order to encourage residents to get vaccinated in the city.

Up to 2.3 mln people have so far received coronavirus vaccines in the United Arab Emirates, while Dubai needed to re-schedule the dates for first dose of Pfizer-BioNTech last week due to a global slowdown in vaccine delivery. The UAE is working to offer the vaccine to as much of its 10 mln population in the shortest period possible. The Emirati government has authorised the use of the Chinese Sinopharm, US-German Pfizer-BioNTech, and the Russian Sputnik V vaccines.

“We have launched this initiative as restaurant owners in order to encourage all people to receive the vaccine; we are providing 30% discount”, said restaurant owner Mikael Deeb. Customers, including some who had been vaccinated, were seen while dining at restaurants in the city on Thursday.

“It is not about money, rather to encourage customers and everyone else to take on the vaccines because they ensure the safety of the entire society in which we are all effective members”, Deeb explained. “If all of us take part in [accepting the vaccination] the COVID-19 disease will be reduced”, he stressed.

One restaurant visitor said she was “surprised” to get the discount, after receiving her second vaccine dose earlier in the day.