Saudi compensates families of COVID-19 health worker victims

SaudiArabia has begun compensating thefamiliesofhealthworkers 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 "500,000Saudiriyals to thefamiliesof those who died as a result ofCOVID-19working in thehealthsectors, be it government or private, civilian or military,Saudior non-Saudi".

The officialSaudiPress Agency announced the start of the distribution of funds to thefamiliesof those who have died as a result of the pandemic.

They "gave their lives in the fight against the pandemic to preserve thehealthand 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.

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

SaudiArabia 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.