Oman has revealed plans to vaccinate 1.5 million people against Covid-19 across the Sultanate by the end of June this year.
One million PfizerbioNTech vaccines are scheduled to arrive in Oman during June as well as 100,000 doses from other companies, officials announced at the inaugural meeting of the ministerial team in charge of immunisation against coronavirus at the Ministry of Health.
The country is currently battling a wave of infections which has seen evening curfews implemented and commercial activities restricted. The Sultanate has recorded almost 200,000 cases since the onset of the pandemic and more than 2,000 deaths – the second highest in the GCC region.
Among the targeted segments due for vaccination are those aged above 45 years, pilgrims, citizens in Musandam and frontline workers at health institutions, government establishments, the Royal Oman Police, the Sultan’s Armed Forces, higher education institutions, educational and teaching staff, Grade 12 students and people operating in vital sectors like oil and gas, ports, airports and a number of private sector establishments, according to a report by the Oman News Agency (ONA).
The meeting also reviewed vaccine distribution facilities, including the opening of immunisation centres in all governorates of the Sultanate, Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre, schools and sports complexes in the Governorate of Muscat and other governorates.
There will also be mobile immunisation teams to vaccinate all government workers and supply Covid-19 vaccines to private sector establishments through clinics of big companies and at private health establishments licensed to give the vaccine.
Dr. Ahmed Mohammed al-Sa’eedi, Minister of Health and member of the Covid-19 Supreme Committee, said that more than 4.370 million doses of PfizerbioNTech were booked, along with more than 1.5 million doses reserved via the Global Alliance of Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI).
The minister pointed out that the plan focuses on fair distribution of the vaccine by ratio of population density and takes into account infection-prone priority segments aged more than 65 years, followed by those aged above 60.
al-Sa’eedi revealed that the rate of vaccination in the 65-plus age group stood at more than 95 percent. While around 90 percent of government health workers have received the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine and steps are underway to vaccinate private health workers, the minister added.
He announced that plans were to have more than 70 percent of citizens and residents immunised by the end of the year.
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