RIYADH, June 29 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Saudi Arabia will start inoculating minors aged 12 to 18 with the Covid-19 vaccine produced by BioNTech/Pfizer, the Ministry of Health announced.
The announcement followed the approval of jabs for the age group by the Saudi Food and Drug Authority(SFDA), the kingdom’s state news agency SPA reported.
SPA cited the ministry as saying that 70 per cent of adults in the country received a jab and that it was starting to administer the second dose to people over 50.
The country of over 34 million people has seen over 17 million jabs administered, according to Health Ministry data.
In December, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman became the first person to be vaccinated against the coronavirus in the country.
Saudi Arabia approved the vaccine from Germany-based BioNTech and its US partner Pfizer in mid-December.
Over 480,000 coronavirus infections and 7,775 deaths related to Covid-19 have been reported so far in the country.
The vaccinations are to be free of charge for citizens and foreign residents of the kingdom.
