The Ministry of Health (MoH) on Sunday announced the start of the second dose of the Covid-19 vaccine produced by Pfizer-BioNTech for those who received the first dose of this vaccine after new batch of 17,500 doses of the vaccine arrived in the Sultanate on Saturday. The MoH called on all groups targeted by this vaccine in the past period to take the second dose to get the desired effect. The MoH reported 684 new cases of Covid-19, bringing the total number of cases registered in the Sultanate to 137,306. Three new Covid-19 related deaths were also reported, taking the total death toll to 1,542.
The total recovery cases reached 1,290,454, which is 94 per cent of the total recovery rate.
During the past 24 hours 14 patients were hospitalised, taking the total number of Covid-19 inpatients in hospitals to 140, including 39 in Intensive Care Units (ICUs).
Meanwhile, over 10,000 residents and citizens have taken the AstraZeneca vaccine since its launch last week.
The MoH had earlier postponed the second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine due to production delays.
“The delay would include all countries of the world contracted by the company to expand the production lines resulting from the increased demand’’, the company said.
People who received the first dose of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine will not be eligible to take any other vaccine as the second dose.
Dr Ahmed bin Mohammed al Saeedi had said earlier assured that a six-week delay will not impact the effectiveness of the vaccine.
The number of Pfizer-BionNTech vaccination doses distributed in Oman stood at 39,772 — given to 27,400 people as a first shot and to 12,272 people as a second dose. The manufacturer had confirmed that a six-week delay will not affect those who took the first dose.
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