Almost 1mn vaccinated
MoH calls on all target groups – including 18+ category – to register through electronic platforms
With the National Immunisation Campaign against COVID-19 adding the 18+ category on Sunday, Oman is nearing the 1mn vaccination mark. More than 900,000 individuals had been vaccinated as of Thursday.
‘The ministry began vaccinating a new target group - 18 years and older - in all governorates of the sultanate under the nationwide immunisation programme on Sunday,’ a Ministry of Health statement said on Sunday.
Dr Thamra bint Said al Ghafriyah, acting director general of health services in Muscat governorate, described the turnout for vaccination at Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre (OCEC) as ‘great’
“The procedure followed at OCEC is very smooth and the flow of recipients is great,” she said on Sunday.
According to MoH, more than 1.5mn doses of vaccines have been received and 3.2mn more will arrive this month.
MoH has called on those eligible for vaccination to register through the Tarassud + app or covid19.moh.gov.om in advance. On weekdays, vaccination timing at OCEC is 8am to 6pm; on weekends (Friday and Saturday), the centre is open from 9am to 4pm.
The Al Sahel Health Centre in Quriyat is open Sunday to Thursday from 8am to 2pm, and the drive-through service at Oman Automobile Association, Seeb, runs from 3pm to 7pm, Sunday to Thursday.
‘The ministry calls on all target groups to book advance appointments in order to ensure a safe and accessible process for everyone,’ MoH stated.
The ministry has also launched a drive to immunise the elderly at home, for which it urged the eligible in this category to book through the nearest health centre.
Currently, individuals aged 18 years and older are receiving the first dose of vaccine; the second dose will be announced shortly.
MoH has also expanded the number of vaccination centres in all the wilayats of the sultanate.
The Directorate General of Health Services in Dhahirah Governorate has announced that the immunisation drive is continuing at a good pace in its 11 vaccination centres in the wilayats of Ibri, Yanqul and Dhank. The directorate has vaccinated close to 37,000 individuals and targets about 1,500 people every day to achieve 50 per cent vaccine coverage of the target group in July and 100 per cent in August.
Dhahirah has recorded more than 8,000 COVID-19 cases and 88 related deaths since the outbreak of the pandemic.
In Salalah, MoH started vaccinating the 18+ category at the Sultan Qaboos Youth Complex for Culture and Entertainment on Sunday with the first dose of vaccine. The centre continues to vaccinate other target groups.
The procedure followed at OCEC is very smooth and the flow of recipients is great
DR THAMRA AL GHAFRIYAH