The Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) has designated the health centres that provide the COVID-19 vaccine for the 3 - 17 age group.

The ministry made it clear that the vaccination for the 3-15 age group will be optional, not mandatory. The vaccine approved for children from 3 to 11 years is Sinopharm. Children from 12 to 15 years will be given either Sinopharm or Pfizer-BioNTech.

The announcement has come following approval of the emergency use of the Sinopharm vaccine for this age group. It is based on clinical studies, the strict assessment to approve the vaccine's emergency use and the local evaluation that complies with the approved regulations.

The approval for the vaccine comes as part of the UAE's efforts to combat the COVID-19 virus and as a testimony of its proactive strategy to secure the health and safety of community members.

Hussain Abdul Rahman Al Rand, Assistant Under-Secretary for the Public Health Sector, and Chairman of the National Committee for the Implementation of the Provisions of International Health Regulations and Prevention of Pandemics, said, "Over long decades, children in every part of the world used to get safe vaccines against several diseases and viral infections, and the way the Sinopharm vaccine works is the same as these vaccines work.”

He concluded by saying that vaccination will protect children and maintain the health of those around them, especially the elderly. It also contributes to achieving the required immunity to limit the spread of the virus. This comes in line with the recovery plan pursued by the UAE, which aims to get 100 percent vaccination of the target groups by the end of 2021.

WAM