Health authorities in Saudi Arabia have registered the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for import and use in the country, state news agency SPA said on Thursday.
Saudi Arabia’s Food and Drug Agency registered the vaccine. Procedures necessary for its import and use will begin, the statement said.
Saudi Coronavirus cases.
The Kingdom’s performance in containing the spread of the Coronavirus has paid off. Saudi Arabia registered just 193 new cases on December 9th, compared with 218,000 in the United States. All of Saudi Arabia’s 13 regions reported fewer than 50 additional cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on Monday, as the number of new infections continues to fall across the country.
Strong government action and strict rules and fines in place to prevent residents from endangering themselves and others has drastically reduced the number of cases in Saudi Arabia from summer highs.
The Kingdom has, since the start of the global pandemic, used a wide range of measures to counter the virus, including travel bans, curfews, and even significantly throttling back the annual Hajj pilgrimage. But despite the significant progress, authorities remain vigilant, and are urging residents to continue with measures that are working. Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Interior warned again yesterday that anyone who ignores coronavirus countermeasures, such as wearing a face mask in public or social distancing, will be issued a fine of 1,000 Saudi Riyals.
Special health clinics set up by the Ministry of Health in response to the pandemic continue to test and treat thousands of residents, according to Arab News. Takkad (make sure) centers and Tetamman (rest assured) clinics have played a significant role in monitoring the spread of the disease and helping patients with suspected or confirmed cases.
The delivery of a vaccine, once distributed to residents in the Kingdom, should help the Saudi economy continue its path toward recovery in 2021, economists predict.
