RIYADH — Dr. Adel Al-Harf, Vice President of the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA), said that the coronavirus vaccine will be taken in two doses, with a gap of around 20 days between the first and second shots. He emphasized the need to adhere to their dates so that the benefit from taking the vaccine is realized. Attending the daily press conference to brief on the latest coronavirus developments in the Kingdom, Al-Harf revealed the details of the process of approval for the coronavirus vaccine. "The most prominent studies that are evaluated for the vaccine were preclinical studies on animals, followed by clinical trials for humans, and then studies on the quality of the vaccine." Al-Harf said that following up the effect of vaccine after its use is an active phase aimed at ensuring its safety, and it also helps in early detection of any side effects that may occur to its users. "The health authorities will have all the necessary information to administer the vaccine, in terms of the recommended and excluded groups, in a way that does not constitute a public health concern," he said. On his part, Dr. Muhammad Al-Abdel Ali, spokesman of the Ministry of Health, said that there are many glad tidings and positive signs about the coronavirus vaccines. "The Kingdom has already registered for one of these vaccines, of which scientific studies have confirmed its effectiveness and safety," he said while exuding confidence in the relevant agencies in the Kingdom responsible for choosing vaccines. "SFDA is concerned with this as it is one of the most prestigious bodies at the global level in this field," he noted. Dr. Al-Abdel Ali stressed that the Kingdom has strict and accurate procedures to ensure the strength, safety and effectiveness of vaccines before registering and permitting their use. On the importance of people performing medical examinations before receiving the vaccine, he stressed that it is not required to conduct any such medical tests, but people with some diseases should brief their medical history to doctors before taking it.
