COVID-19: Large crowds as vaccination drive for those above 45 gets underway in Oman

Muscat: Oman’s vaccination drive for those above 45 has started in all government assigned centres across the country. Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre, one of the premier centres for the capital area, saw a large yet orderly crowd for the jabs.

However, vaccination in these centres is currently only for Omani citizens. Expatriates are not being allowed, at least for the time being, at these centres. The private clinics have come to the rescue of expats for the COVID-19 jabs. Though currently the private clinics are administering only AstraZeneca for walk-in individuals, at the rate of RO 11 in certain clinics and hospitals, corporate customers who have registered with private clinics through Oman’s Ministry of Health are being given Pfizer. Health workers are being given Sputnik in most of the private clinics for free.

Majid Noor Al Balushi, an Omani citizen, 40, who had come to take his jab at a private clinic in Azaiaba area said that it was important to take the vaccine. “It doesn’t matter if it is AstraZeneca or Pfizer. What matters is that you have taken your jab. I don’t know when 40 and above will get their turn in government centres but I did not want to wait for the same. Especially when the vaccination is now available with private clinics.”