Kuwait plans to vaccinate children in 5-11 age group

Booster approved for elderly and people with immunity issues

Children aged 5 to 11 will be vaccinated soon in Kuwait, the Ministry of Health announced yesterday.

With Pfizer-BioNtech close to obtaining emergency approval to use its vaccine in the 5-11 age group, the ministry said it will vaccinate children as soon as Pfizer gets approval in the US and Europe.

The vaccine dose for this group will be much lower as compared to above 12 years and adults, Al Rai newspaper said.

Kuwait has more than 427,000 children in the 5-11 age group.

Around 10 per cent to 15 per cent may have health issues which may hinder the vaccination drive, meaning that 360,000 to 380,000 children will be vaccinated.

Kuwait has approved the administration of a third booster dose, the Ministry of Health said. It has targeted three groups at the current stage: Those over the age of 60, groups most vulnerable to infection and those with immunodeficiency diseases.

Kuwait has been rated first among Gulf states in terms of Covid-19 recovery rate at 99.2 per cent, according to the GCC Statistical Centre.