Health officials urge all eligible persons to get Covid vaccine booster dose

Senior health officials have urged all eligible persons in the country to get the Covid-19 vaccine booster dose to stay protected against the virus.

This came in a series of posts published by the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) on social media on Sunday."The high rate of vaccination within the population has been one of the most important factors in Qatar's successful Covid-19 strategy in controlling the spread of the virus, and has meant that the number of new daily Covid-19 cases, hospital admissions and deaths have remained very low recently," said Dr Abdullatif al-Khal, chair of the National Health Strategic Group on Covid-19 and head of the Infectious Diseases Division at Hamad Medical Corporation."However, we have seen a slight increase in new daily cases in the past two weeks among people who were previously vaccinated, and this is a reminder that the fight against Covid-19 is not yet over," he continued. "I encourage anyone who had their second vaccine dose more than six months ago to get their Covid-19 booster vaccine without delay, to ensure they continue to be protected and enjoy near-normal everyday activities."Dr. Hamad Eid al-Romaihi, co-chairperson of the National Pandemic Preparedness Committee and director of Health Protection and Communicable Diseases at the MoPH, said it is clear from the latest clinical evidence that for most people the protective immunity obtained from the first two doses of the Covid-19 vaccine gradually declines six months after the second dose. "With the virus continuing to circulate in Qatar and around the world, it is important that all eligible individuals receive their booster vaccine promptly to ensure they have high levels of immunity against the virus," Dr al-Romaihi reminded. "Thanks to the compliance of the community in coming forward for their Covid-19 vaccinations, Qatar has managed to suppress the spread of the virus," he noted. "However, Covid-19 remains a threat to the health and we must not become complacent."Dedicated teams at the Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) are currently administering the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna Covid-19 booster vaccinations to people who had their second vaccine dose more than six months ago, said Dr Mariam Abdulmalik, managing director of PHCC. "All individuals who meet this criteria are encouraged to get their booster vaccine promptly to ensure they continue to have high levels of protection against Covid-19," she advised. Booster vaccines are available at all Primary Health Care Corporation health centres and PHCC is directly contacting people who are eligible to set an appointment. Anyone who is eligible and has not yet been contacted can call the PHCC hotline on 4027 7077 to schedule an appointment."The Covid-19 vaccination appointments can also be made via PHCC's mobile app, Nar'aakom, she added.The rollout of the National Covid-19 Vaccination Programme has been a great success and resulted in Qatar having one of the highest vaccination rates in the world, said Dr Muna al-Maslamani, medical director, Communicable Disease Center. "However, Covid-19 is still a threat to the health of the population and as the immunity from the primary vaccine series starts to decline six months after the second dose, it is vitally important that eligible people receive their Covid-19 booster vaccine promptly," she said. The booster vaccine will enhance immunity against the virus and provide longer-term protection, Dr al-Maslamani stressed. "If you are eligible for the booster vaccine, don't delay. Please act now to protect yourself, your family and the community."