Saudi health ministry says boosters 'mandatory' to protect against infection, variants

Dr. Muhammad Al-Abdulaali, official spokesperson for the Ministry of Health, said that the booster dose is mandatory to raise immunity to prevent infection and overcome variants, as well as reduce severe symptoms in case of infection, and protect against cases of hospitalization and deaths.

Speaking during a press conference held today, Dec. 26, Al-Abdulaali said that the world is witnessing the highest rate of daily cases of infection since the beginning of the pandemic, pointing out that the Kingdom is also seeing a remarkable rise in registered cases, Saudi Press Agency reported.

The rise is linked to the emergence of the Omicron variant, as the Kingdom continues with the administration of vaccines.

Saudi Arabia began giving the vaccine to those aged over five years, especially those who have the priority according to their health conditions, and is expanding these efforts. Clinical studies and examinations have confirmed the safety of those vaccines for children.