Saudi health expert: Vaccines are a necessity, not a luxury

Saudi health expert: Vaccines are a necessity, not a luxury

JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia's coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine rollout has inoculated more than 25 percent of the population. Over the past year, the Kingdom has promoted strict protocols to curb the virus until the national vaccine campaign started. Every new vaccine administered is another step to normalcy. Saudi health experts have said that in a bid to return to normal life in the fight against COVID-19, vaccines are a necessity, not a luxury. "The government placed the safety of their people first and the nation lived through an unsettling new normal. Many have come to realize that life is somewhat back to normal with prayers resumed at mosques and people returning to coffee shops. Many have felt the sense of urgency and rushed to take the vaccine. We can't afford another hit," infectious disease consultant Dr. Nezar Bahabri told Arab News. He added: "The vaccines are the only way to return back to our normal lives. This is a humanitarian cause, for yourself, for the people and for the love of the country." After the World Health Organization declared a pandemic in March 2020, Saudi Arabia protected its health system and prevented the spread of the virus by imposing flight bans,