ABU DHABI — The authorities in the United Arab Emirates on Monday announced that a third stage study of a possible vaccine against coronavirus has been approved by the Ethics Committee Scientific research in Abu Dhabi. This approval paves the way for the start of third stage clinical trials which will ensure the safety and efficacy of the vaccine on a larger segment of individuals. Sharing the details of the third stage clinical trials for a possible vaccine at a regular government press briefing, the country’s Minister of Health Abdul Rahman Al Owais explained that this stage includes conducting a research study on two types of vaccinations with the participation of more than 15,000 volunteers. He stressed that the best scientific standards will be adopted when conducting the medical studies and noted that the success of this stage could lead to the start of the manufacturing stage. The press briefing also saw the announcement of the launch of the statistical platform for COVID-19 data in the UAE, which is an important step and another achievement to add to the collective efforts of all national institutions specialized in dealing with the pandemic. The new platform is a joint cooperation between three official bodies, namely the country’s health ministry, the National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Management Authority and the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority. The launch of the platform reflects the desire of the UAE government to promote a culture of transparency and sharing of reliable information and data that supports decision makers, researchers and all concerned.