Qatar has administered more than half a million doses of COVID-19 vaccines since December 23 last year, when it launched the national vaccination campaign, using shots developed by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna. The Ministry of Public Health has speeded up the vaccination programme with the increased availability of the vaccines. Currently, more than 100,000 shots are being administered every week. This translates to around 14,000 people receiving the shots every day. The vaccination campaign is likely to further speed up as the country receives more vaccine supplies in coming months.
Currently people aged 50 and above, healthcare staff, essential workers and people with chronic diseases are being vaccinated across 27 health centres and a 10-lane drive-through vaccination point in Lusail.
The number of older people receiving the vaccine is constantly rising. The Ministry said that more than six out of every 10 people aged 60 and above have now received at least their first dose of the vaccine, with 67 percent of people over 70 years of age, and 63 percent of people over 60 years of age having received the vaccine.
Figures show that since February, the number of doses administered each week has increased by 270 percent. More than one in seven adults, or 15 percent of Qatar’s adult population, have now received at least one vaccine dose.
Qatar has also prioritised safety in its vaccination plans, using only the most effective and safe vaccines. Officials have said that no serious side effects have been reported from over half a million doses administered so far, a fact which should encourage more people to get the vaccine as soon as they become eligible.
A part from 27 health centres and the Lusail drive-through point, a vaccination centre set up at the Qatar National Convention Center is catering to more than 5,000 people daily, including teachers, school staff and other priority groups.
As the vaccination campaign picks up, the authorities in Qatar have also evolved their policies, starting with exempting those fully vaccinated from quarantine after travel abroad or exposure to a COVID-19 positive case. This exemption is currently valid for six months after vaccination, and applies to people vaccinated in Qatar only.
Vaccination campaigns are also picking up around the world, with the US have administered 110 million doses and the UK having given at least the first dose to more than 25 million people. As rich nations inoculate their populations, it is crucial to ensure that less-developed countries are not left behind.
