Muscat, Feb 27 - Vaccines will be offered to a new target group of 60 years and above from this week, the Ministry of Health announced at the press conference on Thursday.
The Sultanate has reserved 200,000 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which is likely to get approval in the coming days.
Oman is one of the top 30 countries that have started to provide vaccination and nearly 95 per cent of the target population for vaccination was covered in the first stage, the ministry said.
The Sultanate has no reservations about any vaccine manufactured in any country. Rather, the main criterion is the availability of studies that confirm the safety of the vaccine.
Any vaccine whose safety has not been confirmed will not be used in the Sultanate.
As of next week, the targeted groups will be expanded to include everyone aged 60 years and above, as well as a larger number of healthcare workers.
The school staff is among the target groups for vaccination, and when vaccines are available in sufficient quantities, the target groups will be expanded.
The current goal is to immunise the groups most vulnerable to the virus, including those with chronic diseases.
There is a significant decrease in the percentage of the elderly who need intensive care after vaccination is given to them.
Overall, the government intends to vaccinate 60 per cent of society and for the moment it is to vaccinate 20 per cent of the target groups.
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