KUWAIT: Health Ministry personnel completed preparations at the Kuwait International Fairground in Mishref yesterday to start the first stage of vaccination against COVID-19 today, targeting health workers at the frontlines and who are exposed to the virus. Director of Public Health Department Dr Fahad Al-Qimlas was present and met with health workers who are covered by the first stage of the vaccination.

Meanwhile, Ministry Spokesman Dr Abdullah Al-Sanad noted that the ministry's vaccination plan focuses mainly on giving priority to medical personnel in the first phase of the campaign. Furthermore, he affirmed that the ministry's health cadres were invited via text messages with the vaccination date and place.

Dr Sanad had earlier announced the success of the trial vaccination campaign against the novel coronavirus. "There were no unexpected side effects recorded by those who had the first dose" on Thursday, Dr Sanad said in a press statement. "The campaign will commence its work officially on Sunday according to the registered appointments on the ministry's website using the QR code, and the medical staff will have a priority," he noted.

The trial vaccination campaign began on Thursday at Kuwait International Fairgrounds in the presence of His Highness Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Sabah. "We start this campaign upon the arrival of the Pfizer vaccine to Kuwait, and will continue over the upcoming few months until everyone in the country is vaccinated," said the Prime Minster in a press statement. A large number of elderly people and health workers have joined the campaign in its early hours, and with the cooperation of the authorities which helped ease the process, the campaign seeks to defeat this pandemic. - KUNA