COVID-19: Saudi Arabia eyes herd immunity by end of the year
Expert sounds alarm over fast-spreading Delta variant
Cairo: Saudi Arabia is expected to reach herd immunity against COVID-19 by the end of this year or early 2022, a Saudi specialist has said.
“If the current vaccination pace continues, it is anticipated to reach herd immunity within months,” infectious disease consultant Dr Ghassan Youssef told Saudi news channel Al Ekabriya that reported record daily 500,000 doses of the vaccine were administered in the kingdom on Thursday.
However, the expert warned against the fast-spreading Delta variant of the virus. “The Delta variant may turn things upside down and it may require herd immunity by inoculating 80 or 90 per cent [of the population] due to its fast spread,” Dr Youssef added.
In December, Saudi Arabia initiated mass vaccinations against COVID-19. Some 29.1 million doses have since been administered across the kingdom, the Health Ministry said on Friday.
Those already vaccinated include 1.5 million elderly people, a target group of the Saudi inoculation drive.