The Saudi National Committee for Infectious Diseases approved the possibility of mixing and matching different COVID-19 vaccines for the first and second doses.
Ministry spokesman Mohammed al-Abudlaali confirmed that several international scientific studies showed the effectiveness and safety of the mix-and-match approach.
The Ministry of Health approved “Pfizer-BioNtech” and AstraZeneca vaccines only for use in Saudi Arabia.
The Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) confirms that it operates according to a scientific mechanism to approve the use of vaccines.
The scientific departments at SFDA have reviewed, assessed, evaluated, and tested the safety, efficacy, and quality of the vaccine based on the submitted scientific data which showed the product’s quality and stability.
SFDA evaluated the manufacturing phases and facility’s obligation to the international pharmaceutical industry standards in Good Manufacturing practices (GMP).
It also held meetings with specialized local and global scientists and experts to take their evaluations and met with the manufacturer company and its representatives to answer inquiries.
The Ministry of Health aims to achieve herd immunity by vaccinating 70 percent of the population before the end of this year.
There are currently over 580 approved vaccination centers distributed throughout the Kingdom, which have succeeded in administrating nearly 17 million doses.
The ministry aims to facilitate the process of access to vaccination centers by providing a number of digital platforms for booking an appointment.
The ministry also allows walk-ins for citizens and residents who are over 65 years old and those with chronic diseases given the health risks that may threaten those groups.
