Coronavirus: Saudi Arabia opens COVID-19 vaccine registration via Sehhaty app

Saudi Arabia has opened registration for the COVID-19 vaccine via the Ministry of Health’s Sehhaty mobile application, the official Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.

Nationals and residents can register through the application (http://onelink.to/yjc3nj) for the vaccine, which will be available free of charge.

On Thursday, Saudi Arabia’s Food and Drug Authority announced that the Kingdom had approved the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine to be used in the country.

In early December, a health ministry spokesman said that Saudi Arabia will be one of the first countries to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

The Ministry of Health has confirmed the safety and efficacy of the vaccine, after successful tests showed it provided a strong immune response and antibodies in trial participants, according to SPA.

The vaccination will be administered over three stages. The first will prioritize citizens and residents over the age of 65, as well as those on the front lines battling the pandemic and people with certain preexisting health conditions.

Individuals who are obese and have a body mass index (BMI) of over 40, those who are immunocompromised, and any individual with two or more preexisting conditions such as diabetes or asthma will also be vaccinated in the first stage.

Other preexisting conditions that fall under the first stage include the following: chronic kidney disease, chronic heart disease, including coronary artery disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, in addition to individuals with a history of a stroke.

The second stage will target individuals over the age of 50, as well as the remainder of health practitioners. People with a BMI between 30 to 40 may receive the vaccination during the second stage of the rollout.

Last Update: Tuesday, 15 December 2020 KSA 12:27 – GMT 09:27