Saudi Arabia has approved two Chinese Covid-19 vaccines, Sinovac and Sinopharm, for use, Arab News reported.
The Kingdom has so far approved six Covid-19 vaccines for use including Oxford-AstraZeneca, Pfizer-BioNTech, Johnson & Johnson, and Moderna.
The Ministry of Health on Tuesday said it was now possible for those who had completed their vaccination program with either Sinopharm or Sinovac to be accepted in the Kingdom. However, they must receive a booster dose of one of the other approved vaccines in the country.
Saudi Arabia has ramped up efforts to vaccinate pupils before schools reopen on August 29. The Ministry of Health said "99% of public-school students" aged between 12 and 18 had received the first dose.
According to the ministry, more than 30 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines have been administered across the Kingdom. Currently, 62% of the population have taken the first dose and more than 70% are expected to have had both doses by October 9, Gulf News reported.
Saudi Arabia has eased Covid-19 restrictions for fully vaccinated residents, allowing them to directly travel to the Kingdom from countries facing a travel ban, including Pakistan.
