H E Dr Ahmed bin Mohammed al Sa’eedi, Minister of Health, said on Thursday that Oman will not leave any individual unvaccinated and that there is a mechanism to vaccinate expatriates who are not covered by their employers.

He also said legal action will be taken against government employees who refuse to take the COVID-19 vaccine.

“We will take legal action against employees of government institutions who refuse to take vaccination doses without a convincing medical reason, and private sector institutions may take the same approach,” he said.

On vaccination for all he said, “There is a mechanism for vaccination of expatriates as most companies have reserved doses for their employees; the vaccines  have been given within defined dates. The sultanate will not leave any individual from the target categories without being vaccinated.” 

Expats in Dhofar who had not reserved vaccine doses have been vaccinated, he said. 

According to H E Dr Sa’eedi, 36 per cent of the total population that includes both Omanis and residents had been vaccinated until Thursday. The government aims to immunise 65 to 70 per cent of the target groups with at least a dose of COVID-19 vaccine by the end of August.

“The number of immunised citizens and residents who have been entered into the surveillance programme is 1,266,293. The number of doses that the sultanate has reserved for the end of this year is over 7mn, including 4,200,000 doses of Pfizer,” H E Dr Sa’eedi said.

Muscat Municipality chairman Issam al Zadjali said there is a plan to vaccinate all employees at Mawaleh Vegetables and Fruits Market. 

“Some 1,400 employees working in the market have already been vaccinated and we will continue the campaign next week till all the workers will get their vaccine,” he said.