UAE approves Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine for 12 to 15 age group

The Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) has approved the emergency use of the Pfizer- BioNTech vaccine for the age group…

On Thursday, May 13 the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) approved the emergency use of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine for children between the ages of 12 to 15.

According to Emirates News Agency (WAM), the approval comes after ‘the outcome of clinical trials and a strict assessment’ which were conducted to approve the emergency local use of the vaccine.

The move comes two months after the UAE announced residents aged 16 and over can get vaccinated. According to WAM, the approval supports the UAE’s efforts to address the pandemic and protect this age group and highlights the UAE’s proactive approach to ensuring the community’s health and safety.

The MoHAP, the Department of Health-Abu Dhabi, the Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre and the Dubai Health Authority have launched a free national vaccination campaign for all citizens and residents to curb the spread of Covid-19.

Last week, the ministry also released a statement highlighting the importance of vaccination as an effective instrument in the battle against the pandemic, especially as new variants continue to emerge. It added that it is making continued efforts to vaccinate all target segments of society, to boost their immunity and prevent further infections.

In addition to vaccination services across hundreds of centres around the country, the ministry in cooperation with local health authorities also offers home services to help vaccinate those with medical conditions which prevent them from travelling to vaccination centres.

Exempted categories should present an exemption certificate issued by accredited health centres, clinics and hospitals. After an assessment, a medical report will be provided to the relevant health authorities for approval. The applicant will be informed via SMS on whether their application is approved or not and the exemption will appear on the Al Hosn app.

The categories which can apply include active Covid-19 cases, volunteers in Covid-19 vaccine clinical trials, pregnant women, people vaccinated outside of the country, people who have previously contracted Covid-19 following a medical assessment, people who have severe allergies to vaccines or vaccine ingredients and people with diseases proven to interact negatively with the vaccine.

As of May 15, 2021, the total number of doses provided to citizens and residents around the country stands at 11,448,363.

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