No serious side effects have been reported for vaccines used in the Sultanate against Covid-19 pandemic to date, the Ministry of Health reaffirmed in a statement yesterday.

Additionally, the ministry confirmed that what has been circulated in various media platforms about vaccine safety and about the temporary suspension of AstraZeneca vaccine by some countries was a precautionary measure taken by these countries to investigate some cases of blood clotting observed in some of those who received the vaccine.

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the European Medicines Agency have stated that there is no direct link between blood clotting and receiving the vaccine in the countries that reported such incidents while the investigation of the actual causes continues.

The Ministry of Health added that there is no preference among the vaccines currently used in Oman in terms of efficacy and safety. Moreover, these vaccines were selected by a specialized technical team that studies vaccines from all aspects based on published studies in prestigious scientific journals, as well as recommendations issued by international organizations. The ministry assured that no vaccine is endorsed for use in Oman until it has been approved by the country of origin or the accredited relevant international regulatory bodies.

The ministry once again called on all vaccine target groups to quickly take the vaccine, not to entertain rumors, and to take information from reliable official sources.