On February 3, the National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Management Authority (NCEMA) and the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) announced that children above the age of five are now eligible to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.
Pfizer vaccine slots are now available for children between the ages of 5 and 11 at MoHAP. Earlier in November, the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was approved for emergency use for children aged five to eleven.
On February 4, NCEMA tweeted: “Health Sector: MoHAP in cooperation with health authorities, is providing the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to children aged 5 to 11. This decision was based on the results of studies and strict evaluations and the undertaking of local assessments that comply with international regulations.”
The COVID-19 vaccines available for children in the UAE
Sinopharm and Pfizer BioNTech vaccines will both be administered to children at public and private health centers.
How old do you have to be to receive the COVID-19 vaccine?
According to NCEMA, the Pfizer vaccine is for children between the ages of 5 and 11. Those children will receive two doses of the vaccine with 21 days between the first and second dose.
Sinopharm vaccines are another option available for children. Children between the ages of 3 and 12 are eligible for this vaccine.
What are the steps for booking a child’s Pfizer vaccine?
The Pfizer and Sinopharm vaccine is available for children throughout the UAE. Here is how children can receive the COVID-19 vaccine in Dubai and Abu Dhabi:
Dubai
On Tuesday, February 1, Dubai Health Authority (DHA) announced that they would be accepting reservations for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for children between the ages of five and 11 years old.
The DHA requires that parents provide their child’s medical history before the vaccine is administered. Parents must provide the following information:
If the child has had a fever or symptoms in the past three days.
- The child’s complete medical history.
- If the child’s immune system is weakened.
- If your child bleeds easily and needs medication to prevent blood clotting.
Children who are ineligible for the COVID-19 vaccination
In the case of an active COVID-19 infection or if a child has had an immediate and severe reaction to any vaccine or vaccine component (within four hours of taking the vaccine), he or she is not eligible for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.
The following steps demonstrate how to book a COVID-19 vaccination appointment on both platforms.
- Add the DHA number – 800 342 – to your contact list.
- Simply say ‘Hi’ on WhatsApp and a virtual assistant will guide you through booking an appointment.
- The virtual assistant will then provide you with a list of services. Choose option 3 to schedule a COVID-19 vaccination appointment. To do this, simply type ‘3’ and send the message.
- A detailed list of who is eligible for the vaccine will be presented to you. Select ‘1’ if you are eligible.
- Next, link your Medical Record Number (MRN). Booking an appointment requires your MRN number. Don’t have an MRN? Follow these steps to create one:
- Those who do not have a Medical Record Number (MRN) linked to the mobile number used for Whatsapp will be redirected to the DHA website – www.dha.gov.ae.
- You can use this link to link your MRN number to your Whatsapp number – bit.ly/MRN_E
- As soon as you enter your Emirates ID number on this link, you will receive a one-time password on your registered mobile number. After you confirm, you will receive your MRN number.
- You will be directed to the Whatsapp chat once your MRN number is successfully linked to your mobile number.
- Type ‘mrnlinked’ and send the message.
- You will be asked to confirm the MRN number under which you wish to schedule the COVID-19 vaccine appointment.
- Choose the DHA vaccination center where you would like to receive the vaccine and enter the number corresponding to your preferred DHA vaccination center.
- Select the date and time.
- As soon as you fill out the details on WhatsApp, you will receive a confirmation message with all the details of your appointment.
DHA App
- Follow these steps to book an appointment using the DHA app:
- Download the free app – DHA, which is available for both Apple and Android phones.
- On the home page, click on ‘Book COVID-19 vaccine’.
- Click ‘Proceed to book an appointment’
- You will be directed to a list of health centers where you can get the vaccine. Choose the location that is most convenient for you.
- Select the date and time of your vaccination at the DHA vaccination center.
- Select ‘Preview and book an appointment‘
- You will be directed to a preview of your booking, which will show your name, visit type, vaccine location, and date and time.
- Tap ‘Confirm Booking’
- You will then receive a text message confirming your vaccine appointment.
Where are the DHA COVID-19 vaccination centers located?
The following DHA vaccination centers offer the Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine for children between the ages of 5 and 11:
- Oud Metha Vaccination Centre
- Al Twar Health Centre
- Al Mizhar Health Centre
- Nad Al Hammar Health Centre
- Al Mankhool Health Centre
- Al Lussaily Health Centre
- Nad Al Sheba Health Centre
- Zabeel Health Centre
- Al Barsha Health Centre
Abu Dhabi
A child does not need to make an appointment with the Health Services Company (SEHA) in Abu Dhabi. The vaccination centers are open to walk-ins.
As of January 27, SEHA launched a dedicated COVID-19 vaccination center for children, the Ettihad Heroes Healthcare Centre, which will offer the vaccine to children aged three to 16 years old.