‘Normal life likely by year-end despite surge’

Despite figures showing a surge in the number of Covid-19 patients in hospitals, there are indications that life will return to normal in the Sultanate by the year-end, said a top official.

Dr Mohammad bin Saif al Hosani, Under-Secretary for Health Affairs and member of the Supreme Committee, said that the Sultanate will immunise nearly 30 per cent of the population by the end of June, and around 70 by the year-end.

“We have extended the interval between the two doses to 10 weeks and there is a plan to use a health passport to travel between countries and it is under study,” he said in an interview.

“While more batches are expected to arrive in the coming days, vaccines will be widely available from summer. European studies have shown that a single dose is sufficient to protect against admission to intensive care or death.”

He said that the number of vaccinated people in the Sultanate has reached 91,000 and added that we are now at the beginning of the third wave. “We hope everyone will abide by the commitment to limit the rise in injuries.”

He added that the Sultanate is working to provide about a quarter of a million doses of coronavirus vaccine by the end of this month.

The Sultanate, which has a more stringent system in choosing vaccines, is working to provide 5,400,000 doses during this year.

Meanwhile, Khalid al Zadjali, a media personality, urged all those who meet the conditions for receiving the vaccine to start taking it as soon as possible.

“Only when our society is vaccinated, we gradually return to our normal condition.”

He added, “We must join hands and not turn to any rumours or any skepticism about the vaccine. History has shown that vaccines have contributed to the reduction of many diseases known at that time.”

Yousuf al Hooti, a journalist, said, “Everyone must take the matter seriously, and we must trust our health measures that strongly support vaccination and work to extricate society from this deadly pandemic, which has decimated the economy and disrupted the interests of the people.”