DUBAI: Saudi Arabia has begun registering citizens and residents for free COVID-19 vaccine state news agency SPA reported on Tuesday. The registration for COVID-19 vaccine in Saudi Arabia is submitted through http://onelink.to/yjc3nj, the health ministry said. The vaccine passed all testing stages and contains a strong immune response against the virus, the ministry said. The treatment is free for all citizens and residents as per the directives of the Saudi leadership, the ministry added. The vaccination will undergo three stages, and each stage has target groups, the report said. The first stage targets the following people: Citizens and residents who are over 65 years, those who are most vulnerable to infection, people who are obese and have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of over 40, those who have immune deficiency such as organ transplantation or take immunosuppressive drugs, people with a history of a previous stroke, and those who have two or more chronic diseases including asthma, diabetes and chronic kidney disease. The second stage targets people who are over 50 years, health practitioners, and those who have one of the following chronic diseases: asthma, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, chronic heart disease including coronary artery disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and active cancer, and those with obesity with BMI between 30 – 40. The final stage targets all citizens and residents wanting to take the vaccine. The Ministry of Health said this step comes as a continuation of the efforts that the Kingdom has taken since the beginning of the pandemic, and it had a clear role in addressing the outbreak and preserving the health and safety of people.