Saudi Arabia: Full Vaccination Mandatory to Attend Events, Ride Public Transport

People wear face masks at the Riyadh International Book Fair 2021. (SPA)
People wear face masks at the Riyadh International Book Fair 2021. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia: Full Vaccination Mandatory to Attend Events, Ride Public Transport

People wear face masks at the Riyadh International Book Fair 2021. (SPA)
People wear face masks at the Riyadh International Book Fair 2021. (SPA)

The Saudi Interior Ministry reiterated on Friday that full vaccination against COVID-19 is necessary to enter public and private institutions, attend school and us public transportation.

Quoting an official source at the Ministry, it said the decision is based on what the health authorities have submitted about what has been proven by the competent national and international scientific authorities of the importance of completing the doses of the approved vaccine to control the spread of the virus, especially the variant strains.

The two doses of approved vaccines are required for attending any economic, commercial, cultural, recreational, sports or tourism event, visiting any governmental or private establishment and boarding planes and getting any public transportation.

The source that the categories exempted from taking vaccinations as shown on Tawakkalna application, are excluded from the decision.

The source stressed the need for everyone to adhere to the precautionary and preventive measures and approved protocols.

Meanwhile, the Health Ministry confirmed 45 new COVID-19 cases and 48 recoveries in the Kingdom, in the past 24 hours.

The Ministry also reported three new deaths, raising the death toll in the Kingdom to 8,719.



Qatar's Emir Makes Cabinet Reshuffle

Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. QNA
Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. QNA
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Qatar's Emir Makes Cabinet Reshuffle

Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. QNA
Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. QNA

Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on Tuesday appointed the CEO of the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), Mansour Ibrahim al-Mahmoud, as the country's next minister of health.

The Emir appointed Mohammed Saif Saeed al Suwaidi as QIA's next CEO.

As part of Tuesday's cabinet shuffle, Qatar's Emir also appointed Sheikh Faisal bin Thani bin Faisal Al Thani as the country's new minister of commerce and industry.
Sheikh Faisal is QIA's chief of Asia-Pacific and Africa investments and the chairman of Qatari telecoms group Ooredoo. It is unclear if he will remain in those roles.
The Emir appointed Lolwah bint Rashid Al-Khater as the new education minister. She served previously as minister of state for international cooperation and led Qatar's global humanitarian efforts, especially in Gaza and Lebanon.