Saudi Arabia is recording a decline in COVID cases as it prepares to impose a booster dose as a requirement to enter public facilities effective as of Tuesday.
The Transport General Authority reiterated that starting Feb. 1, vaccination with a booster dose and the "Immune" vaccinated status in the Tawakkalna application will be a requirement for the use of land, sea, and rail transportation in Saudi Arabia.
The new condition does not apply to groups exempt from taking the vaccine as indicated in the Tawakkalna application.
The decision includes trains, taxis, car rental, passenger transport applications, buses for transporting passengers inside and outside cities, and ferries between Jazan and Farasan Island.
The Authority explained that applying precautionary measures in the means of transportation aims to preserve the health and safety of the beneficiaries of its services and create a safe and appropriate transportation service environment.
It complies with the recommendations of the competent authorities regarding the importance of obtaining booster doses of COVID-19 vaccines to enhance the level of immunity among the public and control the spread of the virus, especially its mutated strains.
The Authority stressed that all licensed facilities must apply all preventive measures approved by the relevant authorities and published on the Public Health Authority "Weqaya" website.
During the press conference held Sunday, the Spokesman of the Health Ministry Mohammed al-Abdulaali said that the Kingdom is witnessing the return of COVID-19 cases to more "reassuring, positive levels," adding that the ministry is following up on the rest of the cases.
Abdulaali also expected a decrease in critical cases in intensive care units.
He explained that the booster dose can be obtained by anyone aged above 16 years and has taken the second dose with three to six months since taking it.
He also indicated that a person recovering from the infection could obtain the booster dose immediately after recovering.
Speaking at the press conference, Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs and Housing spokesman Saif al-Suwailem confirmed that starting Feb. 01, the immunization status will be verified for those who have completed eight months of the second dose given that they have received the booster dose.
Suwailem reiterated that the booster dose would be required to enter all facilities, as the "immune" status is mandatory for anyone wanting to attend any social, economic, commercial, cultural, scientific, entertainment or sporting event in the country.
The Spokesman added that the ministry has carried out 528,489 inspection tours since it began applying the precautionary measures in the establishments and markets.
The ministry recorded 29,164 violations, stressing that citizens and residents must continue to adhere to the preventive measures and instructions issued by the relevant authorities.
Saudi Arabia has administered over 56,820,000 doses of coronavirus vaccine, through more than 587 vaccination centers in all regions.
The number of those who received a single dose reached more than 25,529,000 people, while those who received the two doses reached over 23,664,000 people, and more than 7,529,000 individuals have received the booster shot.
The Ministry of Health registered Sunday 3,669 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 4,375 recoveries in the Kingdom, with the total number of infections in the country reaching 683,053, while the recovery tally reached 635,191.
The ministry reported four new deaths, bringing the fatalities tally in Saudi Arabia to 8,936, adding that the number of critical cases reached 940.
