Muslims are marking second Eid Al Adha in the shadow of COVID-19 pandemic, which remains a major threat to people’s lives and the economy in many countries. Qatar, however, has come a long way over the past year, thanks to the effective policies put in place by the government to control the pandemic and save lives.
The country has managed to drastically cut the daily new COVID-19 cases thanks largely to a mass vaccination drive and effective quarantine policy for travellers. To date, the Ministry of Public Health and other state institutions have administered 3,580,870 doses of the cornavirus vaccines. Qatar is among the top ten countries with highest vaccination rate.
With the rapid expansion of the COVID-19 vaccination programme implemented by the Ministry of Public Health, more than 85 percent of people over age of 40 years have been fully vaccinated in the country. According to data by the Ministry, 95.3% of people above age 40 have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Moreover, more than 66 percent of total population (16 years and above) of the country are now fully vaccinated, while 78.4 percent have received at least one dose of the vaccine. The elderly and people with chronic diseases were prioritised for vaccination due to their increased vulnerability. As a result, 93.5 percent people over 60 years of age are fully vaccinated while 98.6 percent have received at least the first shot.
Since February last year when the first COVID-19 cases were detected in Qatar, more than 224,000 cases have been reported in the country, with 599 deaths. The country recorded one of the lowest COVID-19 mortality rate in the world due to stringent measures for early detection and isolation, in addition to excellent healthcare infrastructure and services available to all. Health authorities have tested more than 2.2 million people for COVID-19 to date.
After successful implementation of COVID-19 containment policies, the authorities have gradually allowed reopening of most sectors, albeit precautionary measures remain in place.
The government has also relaxed quarantine rules for incoming travellers vaccinated against the COVID-19 infection. However, unvaccinated travellers or those receiving vaccines not approved by the MoPH are still required to undergo hotel quarantine.
Despite the success in the fight against the pandemic, following the precautionary measures remains crucial for all, as COVID-19 remains a threat and dozens of people remain hospitalised with the infection.
