Saudi Arabia is stepping up pressure on its citizens and residents to receive both doses of a COVID-19 vaccine with a new announcement confirming that most public spaces, malls, and other areas will be open to only those who are vaccinated, according to Arab News.
Saudi Arabia’s announced mandate for the vaccine is effective August 1, the Kingdom’s Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs said.
The new rules places Saudi Arabia among the more progressive places in the world in prioritizing the safety of its citizens and residents over those who refuse to get a vaccine and risk becoming ill, or endangering others by spreading Covid-19.
“In line with the ministry’s efforts to protect the public’s health, vaccination is required to enter public and private facilities, while complying with precautionary measures to maintain public health,” the ministry tweeted.
Unvaccinated individuals will be barred from entering public establishments, such as malls, restaurants, retail stores, and markets, among others. Anyone visiting these spaces will need to show proof of vaccination, the ministry said.
The Kingdom is seeking to move as quickly to post-pandemic life as possible as it looks to continue ahead with its economic and social reforms as part of Vision 2030. The lost pandemic year effectively paused life in Saudi Arabia, as it did elsewhere around the world, and amounted to a setback for the Kingdom’s economic growth.
Last week, Saudi Arabia’s daily vaccination rates soared past 400,000.
The announcement follows earlier statements from officials confirming that Saudi Arabia would restrict workplaces, both public and private, to those who are vaccinated.
Meanwhile, the General Directorate of Passports has started to automatically extend the validity of residence permits for expatriates outside the Saudi Arabia, in addition to extending the validity of visit visas and exit and re-entry visas without fees or charges for all expatriates, until the end of August.
