MOH issues licence to import Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine

Oman’s Ministry of Health on Tuesday issued a licence to import Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine for Covid-19.

Oman will allow the import and use of Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE’s Covid-19 vaccine for people over the age of 16, its state-run agency reported on Tuesday.

The country joins neighbors Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Bahrain in allowing the shot, which the companies have said is 95% effective in preventing illness.

In a statement issued, MOH said the licence has been issued to import the vaccine for emergency use to prevent the virus for the age of 16-years and above.

“The vaccine is offered in two doses, with an interval of three weeks. The presented studies included safety data available in clinical studies conducted on about 38,000 participants.” a statement from the Government Communication Centre (GC) said.

The vaccine’s effectiveness was followed up for two months after receiving the second dose, and the most common side effects were the same that are associated with any other known vaccines.

A national awareness survey on the Covid-19 vaccine by the Ministry of Health is currently underway, aimed at promoting scientifically-based information and refuting misinformation and rumours by identifying the extent to which the members of the community know about vaccines.

Around 3,000 participants, including Omanis and non-Omanis from all governorates, will be randomly picked for the survey.

MOH said it has identified the priority groups for a vaccination with a strategy to cover 60 per cent of the total target population to prevent the spread of the disease in the Sultanate.

The target group will get vaccines and will be free and people who are highly exposed to risks and complications of the disease will be vaccinated according to priority, including frontline workers, basic service providers, chronic diseases patients, the elderly, and immunocompromised patients with two doses per person.