Muscat: The Ministry of Health has announced the start of giving the booster dose of the Covid-19 vaccine to those aged 18 years and above, who have been six months since receiving the second dose, from December 13.
The Ministry of Health clarified that the booster or the third dose for the target groups will be of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, regardless of the type of vaccine received by the person previously.
The ministry recently started giving the booster dose or the third dose of the vaccine to target groups. The booster dose is for those who have completed eight months from the date of receiving the last dose and including, people above 65 years, healthcare and frontline workers aged 50 and above, patients with chronic diseases.
The Supreme Committee held a meeting on Sunday headed by Sayyid Hamoud bin Faisal al Busaidy, Minister of Interior, in the presence of other members of the committee.
The committee studied the epidemiological situation of the Covid-19 at the global level in light of the latest data on the virus and its variants, especially the new mutant Omicron, which has led to a significant increase in the number of cases in various countries. It has resulted in an increase in the number of inpatients in wards and intensive care units, in addition to deaths in some countries.
The reports on the epidemiological situation in the Sultanate of Oman indicate a slight increase in positive cases, with the continuation of low rates of inpatients in hospital and intensive care units, and a high rate of immunization with a single dose to 93 percent of the target group.
To protect members of society from this epidemic, and to preserve the capabilities of the health system in the Sultanate of Oman to deal with this and other diseases, the committee decided the following:
Starting vaccination with the third dose and the booster dose with the anti-coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccine for those aged 18 years and over. Target groups will be announced soon by the Ministry of Health.
In light of the Supreme Committee’s previous adoption of the principle of vaccination as a condition to allow entry to all government units and private sector establishments, the Supreme Committee has adopted the unified mechanism for dealing with unvaccinated employees and students for entering the units of the state’s administrative apparatus. The competent authorities will issue a circular on this to all units.
The Supreme Committee emphasized that entry to mosques, events, activities, international conferences, other events at wedding halls and other venues as well as local events and activities involving crowds, sports activities, and exhibitions, will be held with a 50 per cent capacity of the venues.
Participation will be limited to those who have been given two doses of a Covid-19 vaccine approved in the Sultanate of Oman (those aged 18 and above) and with mandatory physical distancing and wearing of masks in the correct manner.
In order to avoid a rise in the incidence of the disease and the various preventive measures that may accompany it, such as preventing the establishment of some events and closing of some activities, the SC stresses the need to adhere to all decisions and not to be lenient in adhering to the precautionary measures.
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