Pfizer-BioNtech approved for children under 11 years

Booster shots available for those with chronic illnesses.

Children aged between five and 11 years of age will be able to receive the Pfizer-BioNtech after it was approved for emergency use by The Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP).

The authorisation from the MoHAP comes after the results of clinical studies indicated that the vaccine is safe and has given a strong immune response to children between the age of five and 11 years.

Dr. Hussain Abdul Rahman Al Rand, the Ministry’s Assistant Under-secretary for Public Health, said the decision to provide Pfizer-BioNtech COVID-19 vaccine to children between five and 11, was in line with the directives of the wise leadership.

It was also announced that booster doses for those in specific categories that have received the Pfizer-BioNtech and Sputnik vaccines.

These groups include people with chronic diseases in the age group between 18 to 49 and frontline workers in the age group of 18 to 59.

The news follows on from the latest study that places the UAE third in the world for dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic.

The study carried out by Bloomberg Covid Resilience Ranking compared how well countries are controlling the spread of the virus while reopening their economies.

Only Ireland and Spain ranked higher than the UAE.

At the time of writing more than 21 million doses of the Covid-19 vaccine has been administered in the country with nearly 88 per cent of the UAE being fully vaccinated.

Just under 98 per cent of the country has received their first dose.

 

For all the latest news in the UAE, visit Yalla – Abu Dhabi Life

 

Image source Pexels

Matt Cassidy

When he is not hunting for the latest piece of Abu Dhabi news, Matt is ticking off his UAE bucket-list experiences (although he does love to take a break to test out the fine restaurants and bars of the capital). An armchair sports lover, he is on a personal mission to attend every sporting event in the UAE to make out for most likely missing the big one in Doha in November.