The Ministry of Health (MoH) announced 1.25mn doses of vaccines will arrive in Oman in June and an immunisation plan for COVID-19 for the month on Tuesday. 

Elaborating on the vaccination drive, Badr bin Saif al Rawahi, Director of Infectious Diseases Control in MoH, said, “The ministry has developed a national campaign for immunisation against COVID-l9 to cover all target groups in the population who are 12 years and older. These groups represent 70 per cent of the population. The drive will be implemented in several phases according to the supply of vaccines.”

He explained that based on the agreements of vaccine procurement, Oman will receive 1.25mn doses in June with over 200,000 doses expected every week. “Around 205,000 doses arrived last Saturday. About 1.1mn doses of the Pfizer jab and more made by AstraZeneca are expected to arrive in June,” he said. 

Rawahi added that staff and students of Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation will be vaccinated in July. 

“In order to accelerate the vaccination drive, immunisation centres will be opened across all governorates. Mobile teams will be formed if necessary.”

Rawahi informed that vaccine coverage rate varies among governorates due to concerns of some elders and parents. “As for vaccine safety, the ministry confirms that the selection process of vaccines in the sultanate is based on scientific criterion.”

Following the accelerated immunisation drive, around 35 per cent of citizens and residents are expected to be vaccinated by August end.