The second dose of Astrazeneca- Oxford vaccine to be dispensed at the vaccination centers from the first week of May. The jab would be granted to people who have received the first dose of the vaccine a while ago and did not contract Coronavirus. The vaccination would be carried out according to global health recommendations, Al Qabas daily reported.

Officials explained to the daily that the studies indicate that the vaccine is more effective if there is an interval of at least 12 weeks between receiving the first and second doses. According to research, the vaccine showed an effective rate of 81% if the interval between the two doses was not less than 12 weeks, compared to 55% for its effectiveness for a 6-week interval between them.

The officials stated that the Ministry is closely monitoring the latest developments related to the Coronavirus and the vaccines against it globally, noting that so far no cases of blood clots have been detected for people who received the second dose of the Oxford vaccine in Europe, adding that there is a committee in the ministry that monitors any symptoms after receiving the doses of vaccines, and it has not detected any unexpected effects yet./aa