Nearly 50 per cent of target population fully vaccinated

As many as 1,626,851 people took both doses of vaccines against Covid-19, constituting 45.8 per cent of the total target population while the number of target groups who are given the first dose with rose to 2,710,21 people, representing 76.3 percent of the target population.

This was announced by the Ministry of Health (MoH) in its latest bulletin that analysed the vaccination trends since its beginning of the national vaccination campaign till Monday as the country kept on adding more target groups.

"We will keep adding target groups depending upon the vaccine availability, achievement of targets and other factors that govern the administration of coronavirus in the country vis-a-vis the global trends," a spokesperson from the MoH said.

Meanwhile, there has been an increase in the number of people lining up for vaccine ever since the country opened up more from September 1 that necessitated a vaccination card in all public places, parks, beaches and shopping malls. For those who have taken just first dose of vaccine have to carry a proof of vaccine with them to enter these places.

"Immunisation centers have been witnessing large turnouts since September 1 after the country opened up and permitted entries from other countries with conditions and this confirms the great societal awareness about the importance of immunisation against Covid-19," he said.

VACCINE FOR CHIDLREN BELOW 12

The MoH continues the expanded vaccination campaign for the target groups with vaccines in all governorates of the Sultanate, and the new target group will be children below the age of 12.

"We will soon embark upon jabs for children below 12 and this is in the wake of the opening of schools in a phased manner," he said.

BLUE COLLAR WORKERS

Expatriate workers, mostly directly dealing with customers in the barber shops, restaurants, salons, laundry and ironing were given their jabs as part of the national vaccination campaign.

The MoH, represented by the Directorate General of Health Services in Muscat Governorate, vaccinated all unskilled labourers, residents who work in these professions on August 16 for a week.

All those identified to be engaged in these specified occupations have been given cards indicating the date and time of their vaccination. However, many of them have failed for many reasons, according to them and they were given their vaccine later.