Drive-through Covid-19 vaccination centres opened in four cities in Saudi Arabia this week in an effort to encourage more people to become inoculated.
Those wishing to visit the centres in Riyadh, Makkah, Madinah and Abha can register through the Ministry of Health's Sehhaty app.
The kingdom approved the Pfizer-BioNTech and Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines and has administered 885,000 doses so far, Ministry of Health spokesman Dr Mohammed Al Abdulaali said on Tuesday.
Director of Community Health in Riyadh, Dr Mona Al Amer, said the new vaccine sites had proven popular with the public so far.
"On the test day, we served 20 people, the next day 200, and we are increasing the centre's capacity as possible," she told The National.
The initiative is to widen the availability of vaccines and will be expanded if demand increases, Dr Al Amer said.
"People who experienced the drive-in service so far are very pleased with it, it is easier for them as they don't need to get out of the car, and it is a faster process," she told The National.
When the initiative began, Makkah resident Haifa Ibrahim was particularly excited to sign her mother up for it.
"The moment I knew about the drive-through, I got excited for my mother, who is 80 years old. She was unwilling to take the vaccine in any centre regardless of location because she was scared and concerned about being surrounded by people who might be a source of virus transmission,” she said.
“Now I can convince her to go because she won't leave the car.”
The kingdom's second phase of coronavirus vaccinations began on February 18.
Cases continue to concern health authorities and the ministry said more groups could be inoculated.
It also increased the number of daily appointments and centres. The kingdom has established 259 centres.
French business
France has organised a delegation of leading businesses to travel to Syria. The group was led by French shipping giant CMA CGM, which struck a 30-year contract in May with the Syrian government to develop and run Latakia port. Also present were water and waste management company Suez, defence multinational Thales, and Ellipse Group, which is currently looking into rehabilitating Syrian hospitals.
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Closing the loophole on sugary drinks
As The National reported last year, non-fizzy sugared drinks were not covered when the original tax was introduced in 2017. Sports drinks sold in supermarkets were found to contain, on average, 20 grams of sugar per 500ml bottle.
The non-fizzy drink AriZona Iced Tea contains 65 grams of sugar – about 16 teaspoons – per 680ml can. The average can costs about Dh6, which would rise to Dh9.
Drinks such as Starbucks Bottled Mocha Frappuccino contain 31g of sugar in 270ml, while Nescafe Mocha in a can contains 15.6g of sugar in a 240ml can.
Flavoured water, long-life fruit juice concentrates, pre-packaged sweetened coffee drinks fall under the ‘sweetened drink’ category
Not taxed:
Freshly squeezed fruit juices, ground coffee beans, tea leaves and pre-prepared flavoured milkshakes do not come under the ‘sweetened drink’ band.
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
'The worst thing you can eat'
Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.
Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines:
Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.
Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.
Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.
Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.
Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
