Kuwait says unvaccinated citizens cannot travel abroad

The ruling comes into force on May 22 and does not include people in age groups ineligible to receive vaccinations

A man receives a dose of a Covid-19 vaccine in Kuwait. EPA

Kuwaiti citizens who have not been vaccinated against Covid-19 will not be able to travel abroad from May 22, the information ministry said on Monday, citing a decision by Kuwait's cabinet.

The ruling does not include people in age groups ineligible to receive vaccinations.

A previous directive restricting the entry of non-Kuwaitis into the Gulf state still stands.

New daily coronavirus cases in Kuwait have risen since the start of the year and are now hovering between 1,300 and 1,500 a day.

Kuwait has registered more than 276,500 cases in total.

The country suspended flights from India 10 days ago following a surge in infections there.

Kuwait's cabinet also approved a directive for student nurses to work in health facilities that are facing a shortage of staff.

Residents who have received one dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine will need to wait six weeks for their second jab as the country faces delayed imports.

Residents over 60 or anyone suffering from an underlying condition will still receive their second jab three weeks after the first.

The delay in imports was caused by global competition to obtain vaccine doses, the health ministry said.