DUBAI: The United Arab Emirates has approved for emergency use the Pfizer-BioNtech COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 5-11, the health ministry said in a statement carried by state media on Monday.

Before this decision the only vaccine that had been approved for use in very young children was the Sinopharm vaccine which was approved for ages 3-17, with Pfizer shots being available to children above 12.

"The results of clinical studies indicated that the vaccine is safe and has given a strong immune response to children between the age of 5 and 11 years," the statement said of the Pfizer shots.

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It also said people with chronic diseases who previously received Pfizer-BioNtech or the Russia-developed Sputnik vaccinations can now get a third booster shot.

Previously the government had been giving booster shots to people fully vaccinated with Sinopharm vaccines.