The Sultanate launched a campaign to administer vaccines to a new segment of target groups. According to the Ministry of Health, the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine will be administered to people in the age group 65 and above in all governorates, irrespective of whether they are healthy or suffer from chronic diseases.
The Sultanate received 100,000 doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine produced at Serum Institute of India.
To be available at the previously designated immunisation centres, the second dose of the same vaccine will be given at an interval of four to six weeks.

The vaccination centres in Muscat Governorate are Ruwi Health Center (daily) between 7.30am and 8.30pm and during public holidays between 9.30am and 3.30pm; Muscat Health Center, Bausher Health Center (daily), Al Khuwair North Health Center (daily) and Hay al Jamaa Health Center in Seeb (daily).
Azaiba Health Center and Al Wattayah Health Center will operate from Sunday to Thursday (from 7:30am to 2pm). Outside Muscat, it will be available at Rustaq Health Complex, Al Musannah Health Complex, Barka, Health Complex, Nakhal and Wadi al Mawaal and Al Awabi health centres.
Sohar Health Complex and Falaj al Qabail Health Center are the designated vaccination centres in North Batinah.
People who already received the first dose of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine will not be eligible to take this vaccine as the second dose.

Regarding the delay in the arrival of the Pfizer vaccine, Dr Ahmed bin Mohammed al Saeedi, had said earlier: “The company was in the process of developing its factories, which led to a temporary interruption in the export of the vaccine. However, the manufacturer has confirmed that a six-week delay will not impact the effectiveness of the vaccine.”

He indicated that 450,000 doses of the vaccine have been reserved and will arrive this month. Priority will be given to those who received the first dose. There are also 2.5 million doses that have been reserved for the Sultanate from vaccine manufacturers, the minister added, hoping that before the middle of this year, all the first target groups should receive the vaccine.