Saudi Arabia requires students to receive vaccinations before start of school year

All education employees and all students aged 12 years and above in Saudi Arabia must receive two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine before the start of the academic year, according to a joint statement by the ministries of education and health.

The two ministries have agreed on the importance that all employees of the education sector, all students aged 12 years and over, university students, and the employees and students of the General Organization for Technical and Vocational Training receive two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine to return to in-person learning to protect them and their families.

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The two ministries have also agreed on the requirement for all affected personnel and students to obtain the second dose before the start of the academic year on 29 August.

The statement added that the Ministry of Health will provide vaccines, make appointments available for students targeted for the immunization process, in addition to teachers, faculty members and administrators from the education staff, and provide all possibilities necessary to complete the vaccination operations before the beginning of the academic year.

Health authorities in Saudi Arabia have administered more than 27 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines as of August 1.

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