Neom, Saudi Arabia
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received his first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, state media reported.
Crown Prince Mohammed, the kingdom’s de facto ruler, was given the vaccine in line with the Saudi Health Ministry’s national Covid-19 vaccination plan, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
Saudi Arabia, which received shipments of the Covid-19 vaccine developed by Pzifer and BioNTech earlier this month, began its vaccination campaign Dec. 17. The country’s health minister, Tawfiq al-Rabiah, was one of the first Saudis to get the vaccine that day.
Al-Rabiah thanked the crown prince on Friday “for his keenness and ongoing follow-up to provide vaccines to citizens and residents,” according to the Saudi Press Agency.
Saudi Arabia has reported 361,903 cases of the coronavirus, including 178 detected in the last 24 hours, the Health Ministry said Friday. The total includes 6,168 deaths, including nine new deaths in the last day.
Crown Prince Mohammed is among one of several world leaders who have received their first dose of the vaccine. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was vaccinated on live television last week.
President Trump has yet to receive the vaccine, even though Vice President Pence received his first dose on camera last week.—AP
