Expats struggle to get COVID-19 vaccines in Kuwait, citizens come 1st

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In the tiny, oil-rich sheikhdom of Kuwait, the foreigners who power the country's economy, serve its society and make up 70 per cent of its ...

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In this on Mar 12, 2021 photo released by Kuwait News Agency, KUNA, people enter Kuwait Vaccination Centre to get the vaccine in Kuwait. DUBAI, United Arab Emirates: In the tiny, oil-rich sheikhdom of Kuwait, the foreigners who power the country's economy, serve its society and make up 70 per cent of its population are struggling to get coronavirus vaccines.

When Kuwait’s vaccination registration site went live in December, authorities declared that health-care workers, older adults and those with underlying conditions would be first in line.As weeks ticked by, however, it became increasingly clear the lion's share of doses was going to Kuwaitis, regardless of their age or health. Initially, some expat medical workers said they couldn't even get appointments.

Kuwait has vaccinated its citizens at a rate six times that of non-citizens, the Health Ministry revealed earlier this year. At the time, despite some 238,000 foreigners registering online to book an appointment, only 18,000 of them - mostly doctors, nurses and well-connected workers in state oil companies - were actually called in to receive the vaccine. Meanwhile, some 119,000 Kuwaitis were vaccinated.

Compared to the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, among the world’s fastest vaccinators per capita, Kuwait’s drive has lagged. While foreigners wait for shots, medical workers say Kuwaiti citizens remain reluctant to register because of vaccine conspiracy theories shared widely on social media. Infections have soared, prompting the government to impose a strict nightly curfew last month.

Even as the bulk of front-line workers in grocery stores and cafes remain unvaccinated, Kuwait is making plans to reopen society for the inoculated. Those who can prove they got the jab will be able to attend schools in the fall, go to cinemas in the spring and skip quarantine after flying into the country, the government announced.

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