In a major development in the ongoing national efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) has approved the emergency use of the Pfizer- BioNTech vaccine for the age group of 12-15 years. The decision was made by the authorities in line with the National COVID-19 Vaccination Plan after considering the outcomes of clinical trials of the Pfizer- BioNTech vaccine. Significantly, the authorities conducted a strict assessment of the results of the clinical trials before approving the vaccine's emergency use in the country.

The move strengthens the national efforts to address the pandemic in the UAE and will help in better protecting the age group against the COVID-19 virus. It also underlines the UAE's proactive approach in safeguarding the health and wellbeing of the community.

As part of the UAE's proactive response to COVID-19, the MoHAP, Department of Health-Abu Dhabi (DoH), Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre (ADPHC), and Dubai Health Authority (DHA) launched a massive free national vaccination campaign to inoculate all citizens and residents and curb the spread of the virus.

Notably, the UAE has administered more than 11 million COVID-19 vaccine doses to citizens and residents across the country. This has facilitated the achievement of the declared target of vaccinating half of the country's eligible population by the end of March 2021.

WAM