Amidst the global demand for vaccines, health sources said that the second AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine dose will start being administered from the end of this month, Al-Rai daily reported.
The sources noted that the Ministry of Health (MoH) will receive the third Oxford vaccine shipment within a week, after fulfilling the procedural conditions related to the shipment certificates and the results of the analyzes related to them. It also emphasized that Kuwait views the health and safety of citizens and expats at the center of its priorities.
The sources noted the MoH exerted great efforts to secure the third AstraZeneca-Oxford shipment to give the second dose to those who received the first vaccine dose, which would complete the vaccinations for a majority of citizens.
The sources pointed out the request for certificates is part of the scientific technical procedure to certify the safety of medicines and vaccines before approval for circulation, and that the shipment will be received from the local approved agent as soon as the certificates are issued from the factory.
The sources explained that the ministry succeeded in securing this shipment by contacting and setting up contracts with the parent company AstraZenica since the beginning of the year, which are continuing over the past few weeks.
With more than 33 countries including the Arab Gulf states, the Middle East, Eastern Europe and the Balkan countries vying for the vaccines, exports were scheduled to begin at the beginning of next June, but the Ministry of Health coordinated with the parent company and submitted an exceptional request to send initial payments for the vaccine shipments before the start of the global export process. This assured Kuwait receives the shipments for immediate use as soon as the certificates and test results arrive.
It indicated that obtaining this quick approval saved Kuwait a waiting period of more than two weeks or more, as well as the time that would have been spent on the shipping and import procedures, and what might arise from other circumstances, so that the shipment arrives in May rather than at the end of June.