Riyadh: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has vowed to take action against the health workers who refuse to be inoculated against the COVID-19 virus, the Saudi press agency reported.
The report cited a statement from the directorate of Health Affairs in Jeddah as referring them to the ministry of health’s (MoH) Profession violations committee.
According to a circular issued by the directorate’s head, the decision was taken due to the low number of vaccination among healthcare workers across the governorate.
The circular also states that although people with medical reasons will be exempt from the vaccine, it is also mandatory for all other health workers in Jeddah.
According to Arab News, the directorate affirmed that taking vaccination was a civic duty, and necessary to prevent the spread of the virus. This reassured the citizens that vaccination is in accordance with all regulations.
The decision comes at a crucial time, with the number of daily cases formally crossing the four-digit mark. The MoH urges citizens to sign up for the vaccine, which is available free of charge to both Saudis and residents.
Appointments for COVID-19 vaccination and virus testing can be made through the app ‘Sehhaty’.
Saudi Arabia on Wednesday recorded 1,062 new COVID-19 cases, 867 recoveries, and 13 deaths. Of the new cases, Riyadh reported the highest number with 458, followed by the Makkah region with 231, and the Eastern Province with 136.
This raises the Kingdom’s total numbers to 415,281 confirmed cases, 398,454 recoveries, and 6,935 deaths.
The regions reporting the lowest number of cases were the Northern Borders with 13, Baha with nine, and Jouf with seven.
In terms of vaccination, the Kingdom has delivered over 8.8 million doses so far, currently at a rate of 168,988 per day.
Meanwhile, health clinics set up by the ministry of health have helped millions of people around the country since the outbreak began.