KUWAIT: The health ministry has opened COVID-19 vaccine registration for children aged 5 to 11.

KUWAIT: Kuwait has opened registration for children aged 5 to 11 to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, the health ministry announced yesterday. After registering online, legal guardians of the children will receive a text message on the date, time and place of vaccination, the ministry said in a statement. Yesterday, Kuwait reported only 12 new coronavirus cases and no deaths in the past 24 hours, along with 34 new recoveries. There are only six cases in intensive care units and 14 people in COVID wards, while 366 others are receiving treatment.

The United States on Friday authorized the Pfizer vaccine for children aged 5 to 11, paving the way for 28 million young Americans to soon get immunized. The decision came after a high-level medical panel advising the US government endorsed the shots, ruling that the known benefits outweighed the risks of side-effects.

Health Minister Sheikh Dr Basel Al-Sabah had said last month that the country was waiting for authorization to start vaccinating children below 12 years of age, adding the ministry is prepared whenever the approval is granted. In addition to Kuwait and US, only a handful of other countries including China, Chile, Cuba and the United Arab Emirates are inoculating younger children with various vaccines.

Meanwhile, Kuwait also announced yesterday that the Wafra and Abdaly medical centers will receive citizens and residents today and tomorrow from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm for the COVID-19 vaccination even without a prior appointment. Director of the central administration for primary health care and head of the mobile immunization units team at the ministry Dr Dina Al-Dhubaib revealed that the center will receive those willing to take the first jab or complete their immunization with a second dose, without having to make a prior appointment. The process will only be on the specified dates, she stressed. The Wafra and Abdaly centers are situated in the south and north of the country to mainly serve those in far-flung areas. - Agencies