Saudi compensates families of COVID-19 health worker victims

Saudi Arabia has begun compensating the families of health workers who died because of the coronavirus as the government announced last year that each will receive $133,000. 

The kingdom said in October it would distribute "500,000 Saudi riyals to the families of those who died as a result of COVID-19 working in the health sectors, be it government or private, civilian or military, Saudi or non-Saudi". 

The official Saudi Press Agency announced the start of the distribution of funds to the families of those who have died as a result of the pandemic.

They "gave their lives in the fight against the pandemic to preserve the health and safety of citizens and residents in the kingdom", SPA said. 

Also, the government has accelerated a nationwide vaccination drive in order to tourism and other pandemic-hit sectors.

Also read | Saudi Arabia to reopen to vaccinated tourists after 17-month COVID-19 closure

As of now, more than 29 million does of vaccine have been administered in the country of 35 million people, the health ministry announced on Saturday.

Saudi Arabia has registered nearly 533,000 coronavirus cases and more than 8,300 deaths.

Also, the country has decided to reopen its borders to fully vaccinated foreign tourists after a 17-month closure due to the coronavirus pandemic.

"The Ministry of Tourism announced that the Kingdom will open its doors to foreign tourists, and lift... the suspension of entry for tourist visa holders, starting from August 1," the Saudi Press Agency reported.

It said travellers fully vaccinated with Saudi-approved jabs -- Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson -- will be able to enter the kingdom "without the need for an institutional quarantine period", provided they also have proof of a negative PCR COVID-19 test taken within the last 72 hours and register their details with health authorities.