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Tribune News Network
Doha
Qatar will intensify efforts to administer booster doses to all eligible individuals as the country marked a full year since the start of its inoculation campaign against COVID-19, a senior Health ministry official has said.
“We call on everyone to take the booster vaccine, and the side effects after this dose do not exceed the symptoms after the previous doses, so there is no need to be afraid,” Dr Abdullatif Al Khal, the Chair of Qatar National Health Strategic Group on COVID-19, told Qatar TV on Thursday.
“We still need to give the booster dose to everyone who received both doses of the vaccine more than 6 months ago, and there are intense efforts to be announced soon,” Dr Khal said.
Although Qatar has recorded only four cases of infection from the Omricon variant, he said the mutant is expected to become the dominant variant in Qatar.
“Omicron is expected to become the dominant variant in countries around the world, including in Qatar.”
He said Omicron cases in Qatar, detected among those who came back from travel, were in the quarantine stage, and none of them needed hospital admission.
The Omicron strain is characterised by more than fifty mutations, and this increases the ability of the virus to spread in the community more than the Delta strain by six times, Dr Khal said.
“Please adhere to wearing a mask, especially in closed places, to protect everyone, especially since the mask has proven to be highly effective in preventing viruses,” he urged.
“I advise the public to take the vaccine doses and assure them that the side effects are the same as the first and second doses.”
Scientific evidence proves a decrease in the acquired immunity to the vaccination against the Delta and Omricon strain after a period of four to six months from taking the vaccine, he said.
Taking the booster dose raises the levels of antibodies very significantly, he added.
Qatar has vaccinated more than 85 percent of its population, Dr Khal said, describing the Ministry of Public Health strategy to fight the pandemic a success “by all standards”.
He said, more than 5 million doses of various COVID-19 vaccines have been administered during the period, which saw the country bringing down daily infections from above 2,000 to around 200.
“The credit for the success of the national vaccination campaign was the result of the cooperation of all members of the society, and this is evidence of the community’s confidence in the safety and security of vaccination, despite false information being spread about the safety of vaccination,” Dr Khal said.
Doha
Qatar will intensify efforts to administer booster doses to all eligible individuals as the country marked a full year since the start of its inoculation campaign against COVID-19, a senior Health ministry official has said.
“We call on everyone to take the booster vaccine, and the side effects after this dose do not exceed the symptoms after the previous doses, so there is no need to be afraid,” Dr Abdullatif Al Khal, the Chair of Qatar National Health Strategic Group on COVID-19, told Qatar TV on Thursday.
“We still need to give the booster dose to everyone who received both doses of the vaccine more than 6 months ago, and there are intense efforts to be announced soon,” Dr Khal said.
Although Qatar has recorded only four cases of infection from the Omricon variant, he said the mutant is expected to become the dominant variant in Qatar.
“Omicron is expected to become the dominant variant in countries around the world, including in Qatar.”
He said Omicron cases in Qatar, detected among those who came back from travel, were in the quarantine stage, and none of them needed hospital admission.
The Omicron strain is characterised by more than fifty mutations, and this increases the ability of the virus to spread in the community more than the Delta strain by six times, Dr Khal said.
“Please adhere to wearing a mask, especially in closed places, to protect everyone, especially since the mask has proven to be highly effective in preventing viruses,” he urged.
“I advise the public to take the vaccine doses and assure them that the side effects are the same as the first and second doses.”
Scientific evidence proves a decrease in the acquired immunity to the vaccination against the Delta and Omricon strain after a period of four to six months from taking the vaccine, he said.
Taking the booster dose raises the levels of antibodies very significantly, he added.
Qatar has vaccinated more than 85 percent of its population, Dr Khal said, describing the Ministry of Public Health strategy to fight the pandemic a success “by all standards”.
He said, more than 5 million doses of various COVID-19 vaccines have been administered during the period, which saw the country bringing down daily infections from above 2,000 to around 200.
“The credit for the success of the national vaccination campaign was the result of the cooperation of all members of the society, and this is evidence of the community’s confidence in the safety and security of vaccination, despite false information being spread about the safety of vaccination,” Dr Khal said.
