COVID-19 Vaccination

What are the benefits of getting a COVID-19 vaccine?

There is no way of knowing how COVID-19 will affect your body if you get it but we do know that it can cause serious illness and complications and in some cases lead to death. Getting a COVID-19 vaccine can protect you and in particular people around you who are at increased risk.

How does the vaccine protect me?

When vaccination is given, your immune system creates antibodies to fight the disease and may enhance the immune system through other ways.

How long until you get protection from the vaccine?

After an individual receives the COVID-19 vaccine, the body will start the process of making antibodies right away. However, the process of building up those antibodies takes time.

If I already had COVID-19, should I still get a vaccine?

Even if you have had COVID-19 and developed natural protection or immunity against the virus, it is not known how long this protection lasts. Being vaccinated is still of benefit.

The COVID-19 vaccine is given by intramuscular injection.

If I already had COVID-19, do I need the vaccine?

Yes, as it is possible to get re-infected with COVID-19, you should get vaccinated. Medical advice indicates that you can receive a single dose 10 days after you have been infected by COVID-19.

What do I do if I test positive for COVID-19 after my first dose?

If you contract COVID-19 after your first dose of the vaccine, you should wait until 10 days after you have been infected by COVID-19 before taking the second dose. Please contact the JHAH COVID-19 Vaccination team to re-schedule your appointment at 800-305-4444.

Is the vaccine safe?

• The vaccines have been rigorously tested in clinical trials and is considered safe.
• The COVID-19 vaccines has been approved by the Saudi Food and Drug Authority and other relevant bodies.
• This vaccine is endorsed by the Saudi Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization. Scientists are constantly monitoring the use of the vaccine globally for potential health risks.

Can I get COVID-19 from the vaccine?

No, it is not possible to be infected with SARS-Cov-2 and get COVID-19 from the vaccines currently in use in Saudi Arabia.

Is there a conflict between the influenza vaccine and the new COVID-19 vaccine?

There are no current studies that demonstrate the dual use of vaccines, so we advise against combining vaccines and setting 14 days between the vaccine and the other.

As recommended by the Saudi Ministry of Health and the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) women who are pregnant, planning pregnancy, have just given birth, or breastfeeding, are encouraged to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

COVID-19 vaccination is encouraged as pregnant women are at an increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19 when compared to non-pregnant women. Additionally, pregnant women with COVID-19 may be at an increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes, such as preterm birth, compared with pregnant women without COVID-19.

Vaccination provides pregnant women with  the best available protection from COVID-19. If you have questions about getting vaccinated, a conversation with your healthcare provider may help, but is not required.

Is it true that the COVID-19 vaccines cause infertility?

There is no documented relationship between the vaccine and infertility.

There is no documented relationship between the vaccine and facial nerve palsy, and it was not classified as a side effect of the vaccine in the third phase of clinical trials.

Due to the current circumstances of the pandemic, the vaccine has been approved as a valid vaccine for use as emergency use authorization.

According to the Saudi Ministry of Health, you are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after your second dose in a two-dose series, such as the Pfizer or AstraZeneca vaccines.

An Individual who have recovered from COVID-19 and subsequently received an MOH approved vaccination dose are considered fully vaccinated, provided that no more than six months have passed since the individual recovered from COVID-19.

If you don’t meet these requirements, you are not fully vaccinated.

Yes, it is possible. You may still transmit COVID-19 to others, even if you are vaccinated. Receiving a COVID-19 vaccination helps prevent you from getting sick if you contract the coronavirus that causes the disease. However, even after you complete your vaccination you may still be at risk of contracting the virus, carrying it asymptomatically and you could possibly transmit it to a person who is not immune.

Until research confirms how getting vaccinated affects our risk of spreading the coronavirus, follow the precautionary measures: wear a mask, watch your distance, and wash your hands.

The Ministry of Health (MOH) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is facilitating the transfer of COVID-19 vaccination data for citizens and residents of Saudi Arabia who have received COVID-19 vaccination doses outside of the Kingdom. Upon request by the vaccinee, MOH will analyze the data and, if verified, reflect it in the National Vaccination Registry (NVR) and the publicly available national health apps, Sehhaty and Tawakkalna.

How to request transfer of vaccination information

For citizens and residents to have their Out-Of-Kingdom vaccination information reflected in the National Vaccination Registry (NVR), Sehhaty and Tawakkalna, they must access the vaccination registration section in the Ministry of Health Portal  and fill in and submit the following information/documents:

1. Copy of the first page of the passport (in PDF format)
2. Copy of the vaccination record card (in PDF format)
3. A Saudi mobile number
4. Saudi Iqama or national ID number
5. An email address

I received the first vaccine dose outside of Saudi Arabia

If a citizen or resident of Saudi Arabia has received a first dose of an MOH approved COVID-19 vaccine outside of Saudi Arabia, the vaccine is eligible to take the second dose in Saudi Arabia.

I have been fully vaccinated outside of Saudi Arabia

If a citizen or resident of Saudi Arabia has been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 outside of Saudi Arabia with an MOH approved COVID-19 vaccine, the vaccine can request to have their immunity reflected in the National Vaccination Registry (NVR), Sehhaty and Tawakkalna.

I have received one vaccine dose and have previously had COVID-19

If a citizen or resident of Saudi Arabia has received a dose of an MOH approved COVID-19 vaccine outside of Saudi Arabia and has tested positive for COVID-19, the vaccine can request to have their immunity reflected in the National Vaccination Registry (NVR), Sehhaty and Tawakkalna.

MOH approved COVID-19 vaccines

• Pfizer-BioNTech
• Moderna
• Oxford-AstraZeneca
• Johnson & Johnson
• Sinopharm
• Sinovac