The spokesman for the Saudi Ministry of Interior, Dr. Mohammed Al-Abd Al-Aly asked parents to immediately register their children, aged 12 and over, for vaccination. This is to protect them from exposure to the virus.

He said research has proven that vaccines are effective in protecting children from dangerous virus variants. Although there are fewer critical case reports in pediatric patients than adolescent and adult Covid-19 patients, it does not rule out the possibility that they can be infected and experience serious symptoms due to the virus.

Al-Aly said the new Delta variant had infected children in various parts of the world. "Critical cases for children have been reported worldwide, and the Delta variant is listed in the younger patient category," he said.

The kingdom has delivered more than 18.4 million COVID-19 vaccines so far at a rate of 148,346 doses per day. Nearly 53 percent of the Kingdom's population has been inoculated with at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. More than 1.73 million people have received both doses so far the Kingdom is moving forward with inoculation of a second dose for people over the age of 40.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Religion, Dawah, and Islamic Guidance reopened nine mosques in three areas after being temporarily closed and sterilized, bringing the number of mosques that were sterilized and ready to reopen in 148 days to 1,757 mosques.