Dubai: DHA begins bookings for Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine for 5 to 11-year olds. How to book your child’s COVID-19 vaccine in Dubai

In a major extension to the vaccination drive in the UAE, children aged 5 to 11 years old may now receive the Pfizer-BioNtech COVID-19 vaccine in Dubai, according to an announcement by the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) on 1 February 2022 and confirmed by SchoolsCompared today.

Announced two weeks before many schools break up for February half-term, this has been welcome news for parents with vacation travel plans, who feel safer knowing that their children have been vaccinated against COVID-19.

Ellie Salkeld, a part-time teaching assistant, writer and mother of two based in Dubai, is one parent who welcomes the news:

“I will have my two seven-year-olds vaccinated as soon as possible. And I would love for it to be a widespread thing, for all children for whom no elevated levels of risk might apply. I am in favour of anything that will safely steer our children back towards normality, in the classroom and in life.”

Until now, the Pfizer vaccine was only available to children aged 12 and above. However, the Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccine for children between 3 and 17 has been available since August 2021.

Although the UAE’s Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHaP) approved emergency use of the Bio-N-Tech vaccine for children aged 5 to 11 back in November 2021, it has not been possible for parents to book for their children to receive the vaccine in Dubai until yesterday, February 1 2022.

The emirate has provided the Pfizer vaccine to the public since December 2020. It was made available to children aged 12 to 15 across the UAE in May last year.

How to book your child’s COVID-19 vaccine in Dubai

When booking the COVID-19 Pfizer vaccine for your child you must give your healthcare provider the following information:

 

• Complete medical history of your child
• Let them know if your child has experienced a fever within the last three days
• Inform them in your child has a weakened immune system
• Make them aware if your child bleeds easily and if they need medication to help with blood clotting.

Which DHA vaccine centres give children the Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine in Dubai?

You can book to have your child’s vaccine administered at any of the following DHA vaccine centres in Dubai.

Oud Metha Vaccine Centre +9718002033

Al Twar Health Centre +97145022101

Al Mizhar Health Centre+971800342

Nad Al Hammar Health Centre +971800342

Al Mankhool Health Centre +971800342

Al Lussaily Health Centre +971800342

Nad Al Sheba Health Centre +97145021601

Zabeel Health Centre +971800342

Al Barsha Health Centre +971800342

Please note: Parents must accompany their children to the vaccine centres. Vaccines are available to children via an appointment basis only.

Children who are NOT eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine

• Those with an active COVID-19 infection
• Those who previously had an immediate and severe allergic reaction to any vaccine or vaccine component (within four hours of taking the vaccine).

How to book your child’s COVID-19 vaccine appointment in Dubai using WhatsApp

• Add the DHA number 800342 to your contact list
• Send the message “Hi” on WhatsApp

• Follow the steps

• Link your Medical Record Number to your WhatsApp

• Complete the steps by choosing the centre, date and time

How to book your child’s COVID-19 vaccine appointment in Dubai using the DHA app

• Download the DHA app
• Click on “Book COVID-19 vaccine”
• Select the location based on vaccine type
• Choose Date and time
• Confirm booking

Why give children the COVID-19 vaccine?

While children are at a lower risk of severe illness or death from COVID-19 than adults, 5-to-11-year-olds have still been seriously affected in countries across the world, and there have been more than 100 deaths of children due to COVID-19 in the UK alone – an advanced Western economy with free-at-the-point-of-delivery, universal access to advanced healthcare.

COVID-19 was the highest killer of kids in the 5-11 age group in the US over the past year, according to committee member from the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Amanda Cohn.

In England the return to school led to a surge in COVID-19 cases among children, with more than 300 young children and teens aged 17 years and under, hospitalised for the virus in late October 2021.

While no such surge has been reported amongst schools in the UAE, the move to approve the Pfizer vaccine in children aged 5 to 11 stems from the Ministry’s emphasis on the importance of pre-emptive vaccination against COVID-19 through nation-wide vaccination to accelerate the recovery process.

What if I am worried about giving my child the COVID-19 vaccine?

Although vaccine hesitancy amongst parents is a huge topic in itself, Dubai-based paediatrician Dr Rania Ayat Hawayek from Circle Care Clinic has some words of reassurance for parents who may be concerned about the fact that the COVID-19 vaccines have been approved for emergency use:

“Once a vaccine gets emergency use approval, that means that it has been put under strict trial conditions prior to that, with several hundreds or more volunteers put through a trial and the results studied. In the case of the Sinopharm vaccine, this was a trial that included almost 1000 children, and there were no reports of any worrying side effects. At the moment, I think we would worry more about the effects of COVID and long COVID rather than the effects of the vaccines that have been proven extremely successful at helping symptoms be mild and keeping hospitalisation rates at an all-time low since the very beginning of the pandemic.”

Dr. Ayay Hawayek continues:

“At the end of the day, vaccination is a parental choice. So depending on the family situation, the experiences of any specific family, the presence of vulnerable individuals within the household, each and every household, and each and every parent can then make the right choice for their children. If we have a fair percentage of children above the age of five vaccinated, it would make for a much safer school year ahead. So I for one am looking forward to the implementation of more vaccine choices for children under 12.”

I want to give my child the COVID-19 vaccine but he or she is afraid of needles

Do you want to vaccinate your child against COVID-19 but your child is afraid of needles? Our story on helping children overcome needle fear might help.

© SchoolsCompared.com. 2022. All rights reserved.