Saudi Arabia is tightening the screws on vaccine sceptics, barring them from pilgrimages and overseas travel and blocking access to universities, malls and offices in a contentious effort to boost inoculations, AFP reports.

So-called anti-vaxxers threaten to jeopardise global efforts to beat the coronavirus pandemic, health experts say, but Gulf autocracies, including Saudi Arabia, are cranking up the pressure on those refusing to get vaccinated.

Riyadh is accelerating a nationwide vaccination drive as it moves to revive tourism and host sports and entertainment extravaganzas, all pandemic-hit sectors that are a bedrock of the “Vision 2030” programme to diversify the oil-reliant economy.

Sparking rumblings of discontent, the kingdom has allowed only vaccinated pilgrims or those who have recovered from Covid-19 within the previous six months to perform Umrah.