Covid Vaccine Now Available to Senior Students
As more schools close, and confirmed cases of Covid 19 rise across the UAE, news has arrived which may give hope to staff, students and parents alike. The UAE's Ministry of Health and Prevention has announced that the Covid 19 vaccine will now be made available to all individuals aged over 16. Up until now, the vaccine was only available to adults.
The UAE has approved two vaccines for use, the Pfizer BioNtech and the Chinese made Sinopharm inoculation. It is not yet clear which of these will be made available to students. The UAE aims to vaccinate more than 50% of the population against the virus by April.
The news is likely to raise the spirits of school leaders, parents and students who have all been hit hard by school closures. Older, more social students have been the most likely to catch the virus, the same age group looking ahead to the crucial exams of summer 2021. With confirmed cases on the rise in many schools, there has been a rapid increase in the number of schools returning to distance learning in recent days.
Authorities will be hoping the vaccine represents a way in which UAE schools can escape the case-closure-distance learning cycle. How successful the move is in this regard will depend, at least in part, upon uptake in the crucial age groups.
What are your thoughts on extending the vaccine eligibility to under 18s? If you are a student, will you take the vaccine? Join the conversation on our facebook page or by emailing [email protected].
