Tuesday 13 / May / 2025
Muscat: Omanis who’ve been administered the COVID-19 vaccine have said they’ve felt no side-effects since, and have urged others in the country to get vaccinated when called upon to do so.
The country began its public vaccination drive against the coronavirus on Sunday, with healthcare workers treating COVID-19 patients, the elderly, those with low immunity, and chronic ailments first in line to be vaccinated.
One of them was 85-year-old Musabbah bin Abdullah Al Nasri from the Wilayat of Rustaq in South Al Batinah. Speaking to the Times of Oman, he said, “I was vaccinated on 27 December, after being contacted by staff in Tiwi, since I am one of the people included in the groups of those eligible for the vaccine.
“I am above the age of 65, and suffer from chronic diseases: heart disease, blood pressure and cholesterol,” he explained. “I have not been out of the house for nine months, since the start of the pandemic, and I have followed all the precautionary measures that the Ministry of Health, Oman TV and the concerned authorities have been publishing.”
Describing the quality of care shown to him at the health centre, he said, “I did not suffer any discomfort from the vaccine needle, nor was I afraid or worried at all, because I trust the government authorities regarding the safety of the vaccine. I had a normal day, which I spent playing with my children and grandchildren.
“The healthcare staff took good care of me from the time I entered the centre until I left it,” Al Nasri revealed. “I would like to thank all the workers at the Ministry of Health for their great concern shown to me. The vaccine is very safe, and taking it is the only way to prevent infection from the disease, while also adhering to the precautionary measures. I encouraged many of my friends over the phone to go and take the vaccine, and fall prey to rumours circulated online.”
Another of those who was administered the vaccine was Qasim Mohammed Al Shehhi, from Wilayat Bukha in Oman’s northern Governorate of Musandam. He was eligible for the vaccine as a frontline healthcare worker, and asked people to not be swayed by the unfounded rumours they might see online or hear from friends.
“I was happy to receive the vaccine, which was administered by the Directorate General of Health Services at 10am, which was a part of the celebrations for the inauguration of the Khasab polyclinic,” he said. “I received the vaccine on 28 December. So far, I have only felt a little pain at the site of the injection, but nothing more.
“The hospital staff did inform me of the possibility of developing other side-effects, such as headaches, fever, and body pain, but so far, I have experienced none of them,” he explained.
“They also told me to contact them should I suffer from any of these in the next few days. No one advised me to take the vaccine – I knew how important it was to protect myself and those around me.”
Al Shehhi once again reiterated the importance of not listening to spurious claims about the vaccine, and taking information from legitimate sources.
“I do not care much for rumours,” he said. “I do not listen to them. Please only take news from the Ministry of Health, or your local hospital or clinic. I advise everyone to come forward to be vaccinated.”
