Vaccination drive for Indian expats launched by ISC in Oman

Muscat: Indian nationals who are members of the Indian Social Club can sign up for the COVID-19 vaccine, which will be provided by the community organisation as part of an agreement with the Ministry of Health.

The club has already booked 1,300 doses of the Pfizer vaccine as part of its efforts, according to Dr Sathish Nambiar, the ISC Chairman, and more people will be allowed to register once subsequent batches of the vaccine arrive in the country.

“We were initially told there were two options for people: Pfizer and AstraZeneca, but now, there is just the first choice being made available,” he said.

“The ministry has put the cost of the Pfizer vaccine at OMR20 per dose, and the clinic with which we have tied up has an administrative fee of OMR3 per shot, so the total cost of being vaccinated per person is OMR46.”

“We decided to approach the Ministry of Health to organise vaccinations for our community members, so that the vaccine drive can take place at a faster pace,” said Nambiar.

“So far, the response has been very positive, and the only reason we’ve had to stop taking names of people is because the first batch of vaccines has been fully booked. We expect to start vaccinating our club members from June onwards.”

Once members of the Indian Social Club have been vaccinated, if there are any surplus vaccines left, arrangements will be made to inoculate others from the Indian community as well.

Vaccinations are offered to club members on a first-come, first-served basis. Those who need to be given their vaccines under the arrangements made by the ISC need to go to the Medical Care Centre in Seeb, added the chairman.

“We had tried to organise the vaccination drive at our premises in Darsait, but there is a lot of maintenance that goes into supplying, storing and distributing these doses,” explained Nambiar. “We have asked our members to therefore go to Seeb when they are provided the opportunity to be vaccinated.

“To help put a stop to the spread of the pandemic and bring down the infection rates in the country, it is imperative that all of us get vaccinated as soon as possible,” he went on to say.

“Those who have any queries about this vaccination programme we are running are of course welcome to approach the Indian Social Club.” For more information on the ISC’s COVID-19 vaccination efforts, please call the club office on 24-701-347.