Saudi Arabia gives visitor holders access to COVID-19 jabs

Cairo: Saudi health authorities have allowed those on visit visas to register to get the COVID-19 vaccine recognised in the kingdom, according to a local newspaper.

Visitors to the kingdom can now obtain vaccination at designated centres, Okaz reported.

The Health Ministry has urged visitors to call phone No 937 to learn about those centres.

Earlier, the Health Ministry had said that registering and reserving appointments for inoculation against COVID-19 was confined to Saudi citizens and foreign residents.

Now registration for vaccination is allowed for visitors as well. The move comes after the kingdom kicked off mass vaccinations against the highly infectious ailment in mid-December.

Over 44 million doses have since been administered, according to the ministry.

As of Sunday, restrictions, prompted by the pandemic, have been largely eased in Saudi Arabia.