RIYADH — Saudi Arabia's Health Ministry said that more than 6 million COVID-19 vaccine doses had been administered across 587 sites to date. In a bid to boost the vaccination campaign, the Ministry has announced on Friday that it will allow citizens and residents over the age of 75 to get COVID-19 vaccines directly without booking an appointment. The ministry called on everyone to come forward to register their names for vaccination on the Sehhaty application so as to preserve the health and safety of all members of the society. It also underlined the need to adhere to precautionary measures to stem the spread of the pandemic. The ministry warned of a surge in coronavirus infections while attributing this to the lack of compliance with the precautionary measures and preventive protocols. Saudi Arabia launched the COVID-19 vaccination drive on Dec. 17, 2020 after the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) approved the registration of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. In the campaign, the priority was given to three categories: people over the age of 65; those suffering from chronic diseases, and those whose nature of work requires being on the front lines to confront the epidemic just like workers in the health sector. The first vaccination center was opened in Riyadh and later centers were opened in Jeddah, Dammam, Madinah, and Makkah. With the second phase of the vaccination that started on Feb. 18, citizens and expatriates are receiving free vaccine shots in all regions of the Kingdom. Oxford-AstraZeneca, the second vaccine that was approved by SFDA, is also being administered at these centers.
