The Ministry of Home Affairs announced that starting February 1, 2022, all citizens and residents of Saudi Arabia and Umrah and Hajj pilgrims aged 18 years and over are required to take a booster dose of the Covid-19 vaccine to maintain “immune” status on the Tawakkalna app.
It is also explained that those who are required to get this second booster must first complete eight months after taking the second dose of Covid-19, and those who have not received the booster shot more than eight months after their second vaccine dose will lose their ‘immune’ status when Tawakkalna app from February 2.
Appointments for this booster dose can be booked on the Tawakkalna and Sehhaty apps.
The “immune” status in the app is required to enable people to participate in economic, commercial, cultural, sports, tourist activities and attend cultural, scientific, social, or recreational events, even enter public or private institutions, as well as travel by plane and public transportation.
However, residents who were previously exempt from taking the coronavirus vaccine as listed on the application will not be required from taking the booster shot.
The Ministry of Home Affairs source emphasized the need for everyone to comply with all precautions and preventive measures and approved health protocols.
The announcement of the new decision comes shortly after the world is actively preparing for the potential spread of the new strain Omicron of Covid-19, which has entered Saudi Arabia last week with the discovery of the first positive Omicron case.
Although it has not been clearly explained until now, it seems that this decision will also be applied to Umrah and Hajj pilgrims who will take international flights to Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile, if they have not received the booster dose since eight months have passed since the second dose, they would be required to take the institutional quarantine package first.
