Riyadh: The Saudi Arabia government on Tuesday has announced a fine of up to Saudi Riyal of 1 million for spreading rumours or fake news about COVID-19, as the kingdom has stepped up vaccinations against the deadly disease.
While the world is making various efforts to encourage the general public to get vaccinated, some set of people are spreading rumours about the danger posed by the vaccine.
According to media reports, the country’s interior ministry said anyone found guilty of spreading rumours about the pandemic could face a penalty ranging from one year to a maximum of five or both.
The Saudi government has warned that those who continue to spread false information will face double fines.
Officials said that people should get information from government sources and not engage in publishing news from anonymous sources which could disrupt public order.
The Ministry of Health urged all members of the public to seek news and information from reliable and official sources and urged them to rely only on shared information from official sources and be aware of rumours and misinformation. People who have questions about the COVID-19 virus and its progress can call the hotline 937.
Vaccination began in Saudi Arabia on December 17. Vaccination is free not only for citizens but also for foreigners and workers.
So far 7.3 million doses have since been administered at 587 vaccination centres across the kingdom.