Saudi Arabia Makes COVID-19 Vaccinations Mandatory for All Employees

All public and private sector employees returning to their workplaces in Saudi Arabia will be required to have taken a COVID-19 vaccine, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development said on Friday.

“Receiving a coronavirus vaccine will be a mandatory condition for male and female workers to attend workplaces in all sectors (public, private, non-profit),” it said in a statement.

It urged workplaces to ensure all employees receive vaccines to curb the spread of the disease.

“The ministry will soon clarify the mechanisms of the decision and its implementation date,” it added.

The Health Ministry said Friday that Saudi Arabia recorded 1,039 new coronavirus cases, 1,061 recoveries and 13 deaths.

It said the number of active cases amounted to 9,750, of which 1,311 are in intensive care units (ICUs).

According to the Ministry, the new cases took the tally to 424,445. The Kingdom has confirmed 407,650 recoveries and 7,045 deaths from the virus.

The Ministry said 386 of the cases were recorded in Riyadh, followed by Makkah with 274 cases, the Eastern Province with 140 cases, while the rest of the cases were distributed among various other areas.

It called on all citizens and residents to register for the COVID-19 vaccine via “Sehhaty” application, in order to preserve their safety, stressing the need to adhere to all health measures.