In keeping with the latest clinical evidence and research, Qatar has approved giving 3rd COVID-19 vaccine shots to immunocompromised people. The approval by the Ministry of Public of Health followed the similar decisions by the US Food and Drug Administration and the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
The third dose of either the Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines will be given to individuals with severe immunodeficiency and those who are particularly vulnerable to serious complications from COVID-19 infection. MoPH is conducting regular reviews and has said that the decision about giving the third shot to other groups will be taken when more clinical evidence is available.
Qatar was among the first countries to roll out the COVID-19 vaccines and has successfully implemented a mass inoculation drive. With over 70 percent of its population fully vaccinated, Qatar stands among countries with the highest COVID-19 vaccination rates. Over two million people are now fully vaccinated in Qatar. Among the population eligible for vaccination (aged 12 and above), over 81 percent are fully vaccinated, while about 93 percent have received at least the first dose. To date, about 4.3 million vaccine doses have been administered under the National COVID-19 Vaccination Program.
Throughout the pandemic, Qatar’s health authorities and other government bodies have done exceedingly well to care for the infected and stem the spread of the virus. To date, the country has detected more than 231,000 COVID-19 cases and 601 deaths, one of the lowest mortality rates in the world.
In recent months the combined impact of COVID-19 restrictions and increasing vaccination rates, and people’s compliance with precautionary measures, has resulted in a consistent reduction in the number of new daily infections in the country. However, health officials have urged continued precautions saying two highly contagious and highly virulent strains of the virus are actively circulating in the community.
While majority of the people have been vaccinated in Qatar, there are still some people who are eligible but have not received the jabs. MoPH has requested the unvaccinated population to act now and protect themselves and their family members and thus help the country return to normal life. Officials have also urged parents of to get their children, aged 12 and above, vaccinated as schools prepare to reopen after summer break. The Ministry said that 7 out of every 10 children in Qatar aged 12 to 17 have already received at least one vaccine dose and no major side effects have been reported.
As more and more people are fully vaccinated, the public must not let their guard down and must continue to follow all the preventive measures.
