The Gulf state of Oman has launched its Covid-19 inoculation campaign, with the sultanate’s health minister receiving the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine.

State-run media reported that the first batch of 15,600 doses was flown in industrial freezers to Muscat International Airport last week to vaccinate a priority group of older adults, health care workers and those with underlying health conditions starting today.

According to AP, another 28,000 doses of the vaccine by American drugmaker Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech are expected to arrive next month.

Oman says it aims to vaccinate 60 per cent of its roughly five million people. The Health Ministry said the initial phase of the vaccination campaign would cover 20pc of the population due to temporarily limited supply.