Dubai: Kuwait has made COVID-19 vaccine booster shot compulsory for citizens who have completed nine months after receiving the second dose if they wish to travel.
The Kuwait Civil Aviation authority on Thursday announced that country will no longer consider persons, who have received their second dose of an approved COVID-19 vaccine more than nine months ago, as fully vaccinated unless they have received a booster shot.
The new travel rule is part of a slew of tight restrictions taken by Kuwaiti authorities to mitigate the spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19, after 12 travellers who arrived from Europe tested positive for the new variant on Wednesday.
Kuwait also requires incoming travellers to quarantine at home for 10 days unless they receive a negative PCR test for the coronavirus within 72 hours of their arrival.
Effective from December 26, all travellers entering the country must undergo a 10-day quarantine. All persons arriving in Kuwait must provide a negative PCR test taken within 48 hours of arrival.
Foreigners must be fully vaccinated with authorized vaccines in Kuwait, while those who have taken other vaccines must take a third booster dose of a vaccine authorized by Kuwait after their arrival.
Fully vaccinated persons can attend conferences, weddings, and other social events. Wearing a protective mask is no longer mandatory while outside, but remains compulsory in indoor spaces, such as malls or restaurants.
On Wednesday, the Ministry of Health announced the detection of 92 new COVID-19 cases in the country, taking the total number of cases to 414,270, while death toll has reached 2,466 and total recoveries touched 411,145.
