JEDDAH: Dhahran’s newly opened coronavirus vaccination center in the Eastern Province of the Kingdom is inoculating up to 1,500 people a day as growing numbers of Saudis register for the vaccine.
The Health Ministry earlier announced that more than 750,000 people have signed up to receive the vaccine following the launch of a national inoculation campaign last week.
The campaign is focused on citizens and residents over 65, people vulnerable to infection, those with chronic illnesses and front-line health workers.
Ibrahim Al-Oraifi, director general of health affairs in the Eastern Province, told Al-Arabiya TV that up to 48 health practitioners are working nine hours a day at the Dhahran center’s 80 vaccination clinics.
“By Friday, we will have more than 42,000 doses of coronavirus vaccine. Other batches of the vaccines will arrive soon,” he said.
The center, which opened four days ago, operates from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. but this could be extended to 24 hours a day if necessary, Al-Oraifi said.
“The center can receive from 10,000 to 12,000 people, both Saudis and expats, per day. In January, another vaccination center will open in Al-Ahsa. We may also open a third center in about four weeks to help reduce pressure on this center,” he added.
About 1,500 people were expected to take the vaccine on Thursday, Al-Oraifi said.
Saudi Arabia on Thursday reported nine new COVID-19-related deaths, lifting the toll in the Kingdom since the pandemic began to 6,223. A total of 140 new cases were reported, raising the number with the disease to 362,741. There are 2,665 active cases, with 368 in a critical condition.
According to the ministry, 55 of the newly recorded cases were in Riyadh, 31 in Makkah and eight in Madinah. In addition, 171 more patients recovered from the infection, bringing the total number of recoveries in the Kingdom to 353,853.
The Health Ministry has identified those who should avoid vaccination: Pregnant or breastfeeding women, or those planning pregnancy in the next two months; people who suffer from severe allergic reactions that require epinephrine injections; and those infected by the virus in the past three months.
People who should be first to receive the vaccination are the obese with a body mass index exceeding 40; those suffering from immunodeficiencies and/or taking immunosuppressive drugs; and individuals with chronic illnesses such as asthma, heart problems, obstructive pulmonary disease or a history of strokes.