MUSCAT: The Sultanate on Sunday received 100,000 doses of Oxford Astrazeneca vaccine from the friendly Republic of India which is manufactured by Serum Institute of India.
The handover ceremony was attended by Dr Ahmed Mohammed al Saeedi, Minister of Health, represented the Sultanate, while Munu Mahawar, Ambassador of India to the Sultanate, represented the Government of India. Dr Ahmed expressed his thanks to the friendly Indian government for providing the doses of Covid-19 vaccine to the Sultanate.
He welcomed the Government of India’s gesture to provide 100,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccine and commended the co-operation between the two countries. He lauded India’s leading role in the global fight against Covid-19 and the support that India has been extending to its friends and partners in their efforts.
The minister indicated that the Serum Institute of India is one of the largest vaccine manufacturers in the world. He stressed that the step to obtain the vaccine promotes the global efforts aimed at overcoming the Covid-19 pandemic and to make the vaccine available for all people around the world.
Furthermore, Dr Ahmed pointed out that the vaccine will provide protection for all, and its effectiveness, safety and results have been laboratory confirmed. He added that it is important to have an interval of at least four weeks between the first and second dose when taking AstraZeneca vaccine.
The minister assured that it is not possible for those who have received the first dose of Pfizer vaccine to receive the second dose of AstraZeneca vaccine. He clarified that the initial evidence shows that the new strain of Covid-19 responds to treatment with the various vaccines manufactured for Covid-19.
Munu Mahawar highlighted the strong cooperation between the two countries and stated, “India has always shouldered global responsibility at times of crisis and is a dependable and reliable friend of Oman”.
The ambassador expressed his thanks and appreciations to the Sultanate’s government under the leadership of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik for taking good care of Indian nationals during the pandemic.
It is worth mentioning that India’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and Oman’s Ministry of Health has conducted a training programme, covering administrative and operational aspects, prior to the delivery of the vaccine, for Oman’s Ministry of Health officials.
The Ministry of Health (MoH) reported 598 new cases of Covid-19 in three days, bringing the total number of cases registered in the Sultanate to 134,326. The ministry also reported two new coronavirus deaths in the last 24 hours, taking the total death toll to 1,529. The total cases of recovery reached 126,854, which is 94.4 per cent of the total recovery rate. Eleven patients were hospitalised during the past 24 hours, taking the total number of inpatients in hospitals to 102, including 27 in Intensive Care Units (ICUs). — ONA
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