125,000 Covid booster doses administered in last 7 days

* More than 450,000 people have received booster doses in Qatar

 

 

The Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) has announced that more than 125,000 Covid-19 vaccine booster doses have been safely administered in the last seven days as the rollout of third doses picks up pace.Anyone aged 12 years and above who had their second dose more than six months ago is eligible for the booster dose and to date, more than 450,000 people have received a booster vaccine dose in Qatar. Dr Soha al-Bayat, head of Vaccination at the MoPH, explained the need for people to have a booster dose six months after their second vaccine dose. “There is clear evidence from multiple local and international studies showing that the protective immunity obtained from the first two doses declines six months after the second dose. The booster dose significantly increases the individual’s protection against Covid-19 and provides around 75% protection against mild to moderate infection and more than 90% protection against severe infection or death.”Covid-19 booster doses are being administered at all 28 Primary Health Care Corporation health centres as well as the Qatar Vaccination Centre for Business and Industry in Bu Garn. Since its opening on January 9, the Qatar Vaccination Centre has administered more than 100,000 vaccine doses. The majority of the vaccines administered at the centre are booster doses, while the centre also gives first and second doses to eligible people, including new arrivals to Qatar. “Following the administration of more than 450,000 booster vaccine doses in Qatar, only a limited number of people have reported modest side effects, including low-grade fever, mild headache, fatigue and soreness at the injection site, which is similar to the side effects following the second dose of the vaccine. No serious side effects have been reported to the MoPH,” Dr al-Bayat explained.