Over 3mn Covid-19 vaccine doses administered in Qatar

* Total Covid-19 recoveries increase to 219,202

Qatar's National Covid-19 Vaccination Programme reached another milestone on Saturday as the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) said more than 3mn vaccine doses have been administered so far.

A total of 3,008,822 doses have been given in the country until now, with 1,665,031 people receiving at least one dose and 1,343,791 people getting both doses, MoPH statistics showed.

A break-up of the data on the MoPH website showed that 72% of people above 16 years have received at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, while 59.4% have got both doses.

Similarly, 90.3% of those above 40 years have received at least one dose, while 80.9% have got the two doses. Also, 96.4% of people above 60 years (the most vulnerable population group) have been vaccinated with at least one dose, with 91.1% receiving both doses.

The statistics also revealed that 19,576 Covid-19 vaccine doses have been administered in the country in the past 24 hours.

Meanwhile, the MoPH yesterday reported today 52 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 among the community and 73 among travellers. It also recorded 161 recoveries from the virus during the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of recoveries in Qatar to 219,202, Qatar News Agency reported.

Regarding the current Covid-19 status, the MoPH said in a statement: “In recent weeks, the combined impact of Covid-19 restrictions and increasing vaccination rates, and the overwhelming support of the community, has resulted in a consistent reduction in the number of new daily infections in the country.”

“However, it is still important to be cautious as the second wave is not yet over and there are still two highly contagious and highly virulent strains of the virus that are actively circulating in the community,” the ministry added.

The second phase of the gradual lifting of precautionary measures began on June 18 and is part of a four-stage plan to be implemented over the coming months.

The date of implementation and the duration of each phase will depend on the epidemic indicators, which rely to a great extent on the degree of compliance of the community members with the current measures, restrictions and guidance by the government.

It is important during the current period that all members of society, including those who have received the vaccination, continue to wear masks as recommended and continue to adhere to social distancing, the MoPH stressed.

"With Covid-19 still a threat to our health here in Qatar, it is important for everyone to play their role in controlling the virus by following precautionary measures," it advised.

These measures are adherence to physical distancing, avoiding close contact with others, crowded places and confined closed spaces where people congregate, wearing a face mask and washing hands regularly.

People should take the Covid-19 vaccine at the earliest opportunity when their turn comes, the statement added.

Anyone suffering from Covid-19 symptoms should contact the 16000 helpline immediately. This is important as the earlier the disease is detected, the easier it will be to receive the right treatment and recover from it.

One can visit the MoPH website for regular updates and new information.