Muscat: Pegging their hopes on vaccinating a majority of the general public against the COVID-19 virus, the Sultanate is continuing its efforts to procure more vaccines to assist in the nation’s spirited fight against the Coronavirus.

Speaking during the annual ceremony of Al Sharqiyah University, H.E. Dr. Ahmed Al Saidi, the Minister of Health, stated that the government had booked 2.5 million vaccines at a “high cost” from abroad.

While details on the vaccine weren’t revealed immediately, it is understood that the Ministry of Health is in “consultations” to procure the Sputnik-V vaccine from Russia among some others.

This came after the Russia-developed vaccine was approved by the Ministry after obtaining data on its efficacy, effectiveness, and safety in tackling the virus.

A contract that was signed earlier between the Russian vaccine maker and Oman didn’t materialise earlier, but the Sultanate has confirmed that it is in dialogue with the drugmaker to obtain “hundreds of thousands” of vaccines soon to begin inoculating the public.