May 23 COVID-19 update

Weekly COVID-19 screening

The new weekly COVID-19 screening program begins on Sunday, May 23, 2021.

Anyone who has yet to have a single dose of vaccine, or who has not informed KAUST that they have, should receive an email with details of the new weekly COVID-19 screening program.

It is important to follow the instructions within this email and to inform KAUST if you have had a vaccine – please do so by completing this short form.

The current number of eligible unvaccinated individuals in KAUST is 1,137 or 18.4%.  

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Second dose AstraZeneca vaccine at KAUST

While KAUST continues to work with the relevant government authorities, there is no confirmation yet that the second doses will arrive for the beginning of June. This may result in a delay to the originally planned schedule for administering the second doses to the KAUST population.

While this aligns with the current focus on first dose vaccines in Saudi Arabia, KAUST continues to discuss with the relevant authorities and will communicate when further information is available.

Please note that any of the following categories are accepted for second dose bookings through Sehhaty:

• 60 years of age and above
• dialysis patients
• BMI above 40
• cancer patients
• organ transplant patients

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Vaccines accepted in Saudi Arabia

There are currently four vaccine brands that are recognized and accepted in the Kingdom.

These are:

• AstraZeneca
• Johnson & Johnson (Jansen)
• Moderna
• Pfizer

Anyone who has had a different vaccine brand to these four should note that these vaccines will not be recognized in the Tawakkalna app, thus restricting access to facilities and services and will not be recognized at entry points into the Kingdom following international travel.

If anyone has received an alternative vaccine brand to these four, they should seek advice from their physician.

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Updated travel restrictions and quarantine

The relevant web pages on the Keeping KAUST Safe website have been updated with the most up to date information regarding known travel restrictions and quarantine requirements. This information can be found here.

This is a dynamic situation and travelers should consult with their airlines or travel agents for the most up to date information before returning to the Kingdom.

Important information:
Travelling to Saudi Arabia – recent information provided by Weqaya has instructed all travelers to complete the pre-arrival registration form

Once travelers have returned to Kingdom – individuals should follow the status and instructions of their Tawakkalna app

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Emails sent in error

Some KAUST community members were sent several reminder emails over the past few days regarding booking a testing appointment. If you received one or more of these then please accept our apologies. This was the result of an automated system issue and it can be discarded without any action.

Those required to participate in weekly testing have been sent an updated communication

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May 23 COVID-19 update

As of May 23 at 8:15 a.m., there were 14 new positive cases of COVID-19 confirmed at KAUST since the last bulletin (published on May 9, 2021). Eight of the 14 cases have been reported in the last seven days.

• Eight of the cases had mild symptoms and either presented to KAUST Health or were tested in Jeddah
• Four of the cases were from one household and another two were from a separate household

All positive cases remain in quarantine and contact tracing has been completed.

For the most up-to-date information, please check the KAUST COVID-19 Dashboard

The 14-day positivity rate* at KAUST is currently unavailable** as of May 23, 2021.

We’d like to thank all community members for practicing physical distancing, the wearing of face coverings, hand washing and adherence to the Keeping KAUST Safe guidelines.

If you have symptoms, please stay home and call KAUST Health at 012 808 0940.

* Positivity rate = % of positive tests returned from the total number of tests taken during a 14-day period. Excludes where the result is still pending or the swab was rejected.
** This rate will only be displayed if the number of tests conducted achieves a given significant threshold (724 tests). Over the past 14-day period, 325 tests were conducted, with 14 positive cases.

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See the most up-to-date information about KAUST COVID-19 cases anytime by clicking on the button below or visiting – hse.kaust.edu.sa

Where to turn when you need to know

• Facilities Management – 012 (808) 0959 or email FMCallcenter@kaust.edu.sa
• Human Resources – 012 (808) 2055 or email HRHelpdesk@kaust.edu.sa
• Health, Safety & Environment – visit the website
• Graduate Affairs – 012 (808) 3412 or schelpdesk@kaust.edu.sa
• KAUST Health – 012 (808) 0940 or visit the KAUST Health website
• Wellness services – visit the Health, Safety and Environment website