COVID-19 vaccination drive to cover all segments of Saudi society: MoH

Dr. Muhammad Al-Abdel Ali, spokesman of the Ministry of Health (MoH), emphasized that the ongoing national vaccination campaign would continue until it covers all the segments of the society without excluding anyone.

Attending a program of MBC Television, the spokesman disclosed that the rate of vaccination administration on a daily basis has risen to nearly half a million doses. At present, two doses of coronavirus vaccine are sufficient,” he said while emphasizing that one dose is not enough to contain the mutated variants and two doses are safer.

“If anything (third dose) is needed in the future, there will be communication about it as we always have transparency in this respect. There is a government platform where the concerned authorities meet in this regard, including the Ministry of Health, to update on the latest developments,” he said.

The spokesman indicated that the ministry is always keen on verifying the veracity of the information it receives as well as on disseminating that truth to the people. He said the ministry is working jointly with all other relevant agencies and that its cooperation with the Ministry of Education is at the highest level.

Abdel Ali explained that study in the Kingdom did not stop even for a day since the outbreak of coronavirus.

“Students pursued their studies and moved from one phase of education to another. Plans are underway to return to normal offline study and to the beauty of the school days, with our sons and daughters and faculty members meeting each other,” he said adding, “it will be something joyful and we look forward to returning to our normal life.”

The spokesman said that the vaccine is available to everyone, including male and female teachers and staff, as well as boy and girl students. “There won’t be any segment that cannot get the vaccine, and they should come forward to take the vaccine and not listen to the rumors and lies that are being circulated on a daily basis.”

Abdel Ali said that the Kingdom’s index in vaccine administration is one of the best in the world and. The spokesman also stressed the safety of vaccines, especially for the group of children between the ages of 12 and 18 years.

According to the health ministry, it has administered over 24 million doses of coronavirus vaccines out of which over one million have been given to adolescents in the 12-18 years age group.