The Diriyah Gate Development Authority supported Saudi Arabia’s vaccination drive by providing a team of volunteers to assist patients and medical staff in hospitals. The 50 volunteers — who are all DGDA staff members — spent time over the past two months supplying those receiving or delivering the vaccine with meals, snacks, and drinks, as well as working in administrative or logistical support roles such as registration or marshaling. The volunteers helped to support the vaccination of over 10,000 patients during the two-month program, in the hope that the doses will lead to boosted immunity to protect the most vulnerable in Diriyah’s community. Diriyah’s Youth Committee helped the DGDA with selection, training, and other arrangements for the program, which was an opportunity for DGDA employees to engage directly with the local community, something that is a key part of the authority’s mission in Diriyah. Alanoud Al-Saud, a community engagement specialist at the DGDA, was delighted with the success of the program. “I was thrilled to see the enthusiasm of our staff at the DGDA over the past two months,” she said. “We have been instrumental in facilitating the delivery of booster jabs to the people of Diriyah and have valiantly supported our local hospital’s medical workers. I am so proud to see that DGDA staff are willing to sacrifice their own time to help the community. “The COVID-19 pandemic hasn’t been easy for anyone, but hopefully the booster vaccinations will lead us in the right direction. Whatever happens, the community should rest assured that the DGDA will always be willing to get involved to help our neighbors,” she continued. More than 52.3 million vaccine doses have been administered in the Kingdom since the beginning of the rollout in December 2020, with 23.3 million people — nearly 66 percent of the Kingdom’s population — fully vaccinated so far. More are expected to complete their program in the very near future, as the country is clamping down and imposing stricter measures for access to public and private establishments. The DGDA’s role in the vaccination drive is part of a broader effort by the authority to ensure the wellbeing of Diriyah’s population as it oversees the transformation of the area into a world-class hub for culture, heritage, and tourism.