Pfizer for children over 5 in UAE: Is Covid vaccination mandatory?

The UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) has begun administering Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine for children aged 5 to 11. The vaccine is administered in two doses, with the second given three weeks after the first.

In a statement, the ministry said the vaccine is voluntary and not mandatory. It said the decision to offer children over 5 the vaccine was “based on clinical evidence and strict evaluation followed globally and locally”.

The ministry reiterated that vaccines are safe and effective, and “one of the best tools to protect society and help boost immunity, prevent complications, and limit the need for hospitalisation, especially in light of the new variants”.

"The clinical trials of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine … have proven its safety and effectiveness for children," said Dr Hussein Abdul Rahman Al Rand, assistant undersecretary of Public Health Sector. "For several decades, children around the globe have been receiving vaccines against various diseases and viruses, and Covid-19 vaccines, including Pfizer, are no different.”

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