Muscat: Oman’s Ministry of Health said it will extend the administration of the second dose of the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine to four months after the first dose due to global supply delays.
It said the time extension - 4 months - falls within the recommended time period detailed by the manufacturer to ensure the effectiveness of vaccination. It is also upholds the approved protocols for the COVID-19 vaccine. The Ministry of Health said people will be alerted on dates for their second dose via SMS.
Oman’s current vaccination drive targets the age group of 60 and above. The vaccination available in Oman is Pfizer BioNtech and AstraZeneca. Over the past month, the Ministry of Health as well as Directorate General of Health Services Oman issued notices requesting people not to pay heed to fake news circulating on social media about the vaccination being open for all age groups.
There has been a widespread clamour among people under 60 for vaccines, as the news of new strains of COVID-19 spread through. Vaccine supplies are expected soon in Oman, which will open up the eligibility bracket for more people. Oman has been providing free vaccination for both citizens and residents in the target group.