COVID-19: Kuwait mulls exempting vaccinated people from institutional quarantine

Kuwait City: Kuwait’s Undersecretary of General Health at the Ministry of Health, Dr. Buthayna Al Mudhaf, has said they are considering exempting vaccinated people from mandatory quarantine in a hotel, Kuwait’s state-owned news agency KUNA reported.

Al Mudhaf said the ministry is closely monitoring international studies before making a decision.

Currently, anyone arriving in Kuwait is required to conduct seven-days of mandatory quarantine in a hotel at their own expense. Those who are exempt from the decision are Kuwaiti students studying abroad, Kuwaiti patients undergoing medical treatment abroad and their companions, members of the diplomatic core and health workers.

That said, non-Kuwaitis are barred from entering Kuwait until further notice as per a decision from the government issued a month ago.

Vaccine progress

Al Mudhaf said out of the approximately 4 million people living in Kuwait, only 17.4 per cent have pre-registered to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

In an effort to vaccinate as many people as possible, the Ministry of Health announced it will continue vaccinating people even during the curfew hours, which begin at 5pm and end at 5am.

She added the Ministry of Health has vaccinated everyone above 65 - both citizens and residents - willing to take the jab.

Kuwait began its vaccination campaign on December 24 and is currently administrating the Pfizer-BioNTech and the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine.

The Pfizer vaccine is being prioritised for those above the age of 65 and those between 16 and 17.