Children of Abu Dhabi ruling family part of adolescent Sinopharm trial

Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed takes his sons and nephews to volunteer for the trial, which involves 900 young people

Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Crown Prince's Court, speaks to a girl as she waits to receive a vaccine dose in a new Sinopharm trial for children.

Nine hundred children aged between 3 and 17 will receive the doses in the trial.

Volunteers are checked for side effects and monitored.

A girl gives a thumbs-up as she undergoes a basic medical check.

Although most adults have now received at least one vaccine shot, most children are not inoculated against the virus.

In Dubai, vaccines have already been given to some children aged 12 to 15, and to many aged between 16 and 18.

Several young members of the Abu Dhabi royal family are part of the Sinopharm vaccine study on children.

Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Crown Prince's Court, was filmed at a vaccination clinic where the Chinese-made vaccine is given to people between the ages of 3 and 17.

He accompanied his sons and nephews as they were vaccinated.

Officials said 900 children will take part in the trial. They will be given the Sinopharm vaccine and checked for any side effects.

The children are given a check-up immediately after the injection and then monitored periodically.

Dr Nawal Al Kaabi, chairwoman of the National Covid-19 Clinical Management Committee, who is leading the study, said the aim is to ensure children can receive the vaccine safely.

"We want children and parents to understand every step of the process and also to know that we will be with them, supporting them, answering every question they may have, at any time," she said.

Children aged 12 to 18 are already receiving the vaccine in Dubai schools.

Although 87 per cent of the UAE's eligible population – classed as over 16s – have taken the vaccine, few younger children are protected.

Covid-19 symptoms in children are very mild and deaths are extremely rare, but countries are increasingly planning to vaccinate young people to help reduce case numbers.

Dubai vaccine rollout in schools – in pictures

Thousands of children have already received their first shot after the government gave the go-ahead for 12-15-year-olds.

A medic speaks to a girl and her mother ahead of her vaccination.

Youngsters aged 12 to 15 receive the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine.

A number of countries have approved the Pfizer shots for young teens. It came after 16 to 18-year-olds received the go-ahead.

Schools told The National that thousands of pupils were inoculated in the first week the jab was introduced this year.

Schools told The National that thousands were inoculated in the first week

The move should cut coronavirus cases in school and allow classes to get back on track.

Most schools are back to relatively normal lessons, but the virus has caused isolated closures in some areas.