Saudi mandates Covid-19 booster shot for citizens travelling abroad

Saudi citizens who wish to travel abroad are mandated to take the third Covid-19 vaccine booster shot.

The directive applies to all citizens who want to travel outside the country and have received the second jab more than three months ago. Children below 16 years of age are excluded, as are groups indicated in the Tawakkalna app, Saudi Press Agency reported, citing a source at the kingdom’s Ministry of Interior.

However, all incoming passengers, including citizens, regardless of their immunisation status, are required to submit a negative Covid-19 PCR test result or a negative Covid-19 antigen test result issued within 48 hours from the date of departure. Children below the age of eight remain exempt from this injunction.

GACA: Circular for all air carriers to update travel procedures to and from Saudi Arabia.https://t.co/syKdJpiJU6#SPAGOV pic.twitter.com/8pKdqYJOTn

— SPAENG (@Spa_Eng) February 6, 2022

Furthermore, citizens who have received two jabs of any of the kingdom-approved vaccines and then tested positive for Covid-19 abroad, will be allowed to enter the kingdom without the need of another PCR test so long as seven days have lapsed from the date of testing positive.

Those citizens who are not fully vaccinated with a kingdom-approved vaccine and tested positive for the contagion abroad, will also be permitted to enter the country without the need of another PCR test, so long as 10 days have passed from the date of testing positive.

The directives will be put into effect from 1am, February 9, 2022 onwards.

Interior Ministry: Third dose “Booster” is a prerequisite for Saudi citizens wishing to travel outside the Kingdom, while all arriving passengers are requested to display negative PCR test result.https://t.co/j5cxL7nzSn#SPAGOV pic.twitter.com/MqCI0nzpR9

— SPAENG (@Spa_Eng) February 3, 2022

The kingdom reported 3,852 new Covid-19 cases on February 3, raising the total nationwide case count to 699,069.

#الصحة تعلن عن تسجيل (3852) حالة إصابة جديدة بفيروس كورونا (كوفيد-19)، وتسجيل (4) حالات وفاة رحمهم الله، وتسجيل (4638) حالة تعافي ليصبح إجمالي عدد الحالات المتعافية (653,972) حالة ولله الحمد. pic.twitter.com/gmouUS17bV

— وزارة الصحة السعودية (@SaudiMOH) February 3, 2022