While European countries are living with growing anxiety due to the outbreak of the new strain ‘Omicron’ mutated from Covid-19, countries such as Britain where the cases have spiked, the situation in Kuwait is still reassuring in spite of slight increase in the epidemiological indicators over the past the two days.
Since Saturday Kuwait recorded 51 infections and 81 the day before, health sources told Al-Rai that the slight increase should constitute “a motive and an incentive for all, citizens and residents, to take the booster dose.”
The sources explained although the Ministry of Health “takes into account the possibility of a rise in infections, the sources ruled out a return to the previous stage given the ‘effective vaccination weapon’.
In this context, sources emphasized what was stated by Minister of Health, Sheikh Dr. Basil Al-Sabah, on the sidelines of the opening of the Funaitees Health Center, asserting “the vaccination rate in Kuwait is very excellent,” and discounting the new mutation to cause an increase in the number of infections as was the case “before the vaccines were found.
In this regard, the head of the Supreme Advisory Committee to confront Corona, Dr. Khaled Al-Jarallah, stressed “the continuation of the stability of the epidemiological scene in the coming days is dependent on raising the rate of booster doses and adhering to preventive measures.”
He said: “There is no point in issuing controversies and disagreement, as everyone is invited to support the efforts of the state and its health system to enhance community immunization and the state of recovery.”
The health sources emphasized on a number of measures to prevent a rise in infections and maintain positive indicators of the epidemiological situation, the most important of which are:
1 – Continuing to adhere to health requirements and wearing of masks, avoiding closed places and crowding at public events.
2 – Tightening the procedures and intensifying the inspection tours by field teams.
3 – Continuing the awareness campaign to push everyone to receive the third booster dose 6 months after taking the second dose, at Fairgrounds center without an appointment, or in 18 centers with prior appointments.
4 – Making the third dose a condition for travel.
5 – Expanding the campaign for third dose through field visits to immunize workers in companies or complexes, with the aim of raising the percentage of immunized people.
6 – Continuing epidemiological surveillance and genetic testing.
7 – Tightening the control over travel back and forth, by continuing to oblige citizens to receive at least two doses to travel outside the country, and to stress on the airlines to apply the requirements and insisting on negative PCR tests and strict examination for inbound passengers.