Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia has urged all education employees to swiftly get vaccinated against COVID-19. Image Credit: Agency

Cairo: Saudi Arabia has urged all education employees to swiftly get vaccinated against COVID-19, saying immunisation will be mandatory to get access to all education institutions starting next August.

The Saudi Education Ministry said in a statement that starting from August 1 entering public and private education establishments as well as the ministry’s offices will be limited to employees and members of the public who have received two shots of vaccination against COVID-19, or one dose, or the recovered people as shown via the health app Tawakkalna.

Smooth process

“All employees have to expedite getting the vaccination against the novel coronavirus to protect their health, ensure everyone’s safety and safeguard the working environment against risks as well as to guarantee a smooth educational process in the next school year,” the ministry added.

Immunisation will be an “essential condition” for entering all agencies affiliated to the Education Ministry, it said. Saudi Arabia initiated mass vaccinations against COVID-10 on December 17. Over 12 million doses have since been administered in 587 centres across the kingdom, according to official figures.

Authorities have offered the vaccination to citizens and foreign residents amid a stepped-up inoculation campaign.