COVID-19: 5 million doses of vaccines expected to arrive by October 2021 in Oman

Muscat: Nearly 5 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine will arrive in Oman by October 2021. Taking vaccinations may become a criteria for entering educational and governmental institutions in the future, an official from the Ministry of Health said.

Bader Al Rawahi, Director of the Department of Infectious Diseases Control at the Ministry of Health said: “According to the current agreements, more than 5 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines will arrive in Oman until October 2021."

He added in an interview with Oman TV, we will finish immunising 30 per cent of Oman's population before the end of July 2021, while continuing the supply of vaccines at the current pace which is 1.25 million doses monthly and 250,000 doses distributed weekly."

Al Rawahi noted: "We are facing the challenge of some people's reluctance to take vaccinations as a result of false information. The vaccination rate reached 40 per cent only in the Governorate of Dhofar, while it reached 100 per cent in the Governorates of Muscat, Al Dakhiliyah and Al Dhahirah."

Dr. Zaid bin Al-Hinai, Infectious Diseases Consultant at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital said: "Vaccines are the most powerful weapon against Covid-19, and vaccinating 15-20 per cent of the Sultanate’s population per month may achieve community immunity quickly."