KUWAIT: Health Minister Sheikh Dr Basel Al-Sabah confirmed that the majority of COVID-19 vaccinations will be completed by September, adding the estimated 850,000 Kuwaiti citizens who want to be vaccinated can be inoculated within three months. He said this will be possible only if vaccines are available, considering the vaccination centers' capacity reaches a maximum of 300,000 people per month.
This came in a press statement after the ministry yesterday launched two COVID-19 vaccination centers at two primary healthcare centers in Naseem and Masayel, as part of its keenness to expand the number of recipients of the COVID-19 vaccine. There will be 35 health centers providing vaccination services beside the Kuwait Vaccination Center at the Kuwait International Fairgrounds, which includes halls 5 and 6, in addition to the start of the vaccination process yesterday for frontline members of the defense ministry, interior ministry, National Guard, Kuwait Fire Force and their families, Sheikh Basel pointed out.
This includes Kuwait Oil Company Hospital, which is in charge of vaccinating employees of the oil sector, as well as care homes for the disabled and elderly, and the launch of mobile vaccination units for the bedridden today, who will be vaccinated in the presence of doctors or medical emergency teams, in addition to starting a vaccination campaign at correctional institutions this week, Sheikh Basel added.
With the completion of opening the aforementioned centers, the capacity will increase to vaccinating over 20,000 people per day if vaccines are available, considering the global scarcity of vaccines, he indicated. The batches of vaccines approved for use nationwide, including Pfizer-BioNTech jabs, will be supplied weekly starting next week, while the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine will be supplied in larger quantities, but its supply is not weekly but at separate intervals according to the contract, Sheikh Basel said.
The vaccination process of the current vaccines is two doses separated by a certain period depending on the type of vaccine, he explained, pointing out that the vaccination process can be completed this year if supplied. Meanwhile, Health Ministry Spokesman Dr Abdullah Al-Sanad expressed happiness the mass COVID-19 vaccination program includes new centers, based on the ministry's eagerness to provide services with the highest quality standards.
For a smooth completion of vaccination procedures, there is a need to adhere to the places and dates of vaccination included in the text message sent to those who wish to receive the vaccine, to assist the medical and administrative staff based on the organizational procedures of the campaign, Sanad underlined.
The opening of the rest of the centers will be in the coming days, based on the vaccination plan aimed at vaccinating the largest number of people in the society, he added, reiterating the need to comply with health requirements after receiving two doses of the vaccine until the desired community immunity is reached. - KUNA