In a welcome move, Qatar has decided to gradually lift restrictions in several stages to ensure that a third wave of the virus does not occur. Over 1.8 million vaccine doses have been administered since the start of the National COVID-19 Vaccination Program.
Citizens and residents are being urged to take the vaccines to facilitate the lifting of restrictions that will begin in four phases, each lasting three weeks, from May 28. The second phase will start on June 18, the third on July 9, and the fourth on July 30. The Ministry of Public Health has established a unit to schedule vaccination appointments to support lifting restrictions.
Dr. Abdullatif Al Khal, Chair of the National Health Strategic Group on COVID-19 and Head of Infectious Diseases at Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), said: “Unlike last year, we will be able to make more freedoms available to those people who are vaccinated where they will enjoy certain privileges before others.”
Dr. Al Khal explained that a new research study in Qatar showed that the two-dose vaccination, 14 days after receiving the second dose, is 89.5 percent effective in preventing infection with the British strain, and by 75 percent in preventing infection with the South African strain. He said the study concluded that vaccination was 97.4 percent effective in preventing severe or critical illness or death in these two strains and added the Indian variant of the coronavirus has not been detected in Qatar.
“These statistics and results give us optimism about the ability to return to normal life after vaccinating the majority of the population eligible for vaccination in Qatar, stressing that the vaccine has proven to be very safe, including for people who are allergic to some medicines, food or other vaccines,” he added.
Precautionary measures, including wearing a mask and maintaining physical and social distancing, avoiding crowded places, and getting the vaccine at the scheduled times, and acting responsibly will prevent the number of infected people from rising again.
Qatar is vaccinating its citizens and residents with Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines. Both vaccines have shown high levels of safety and efficacy. The State has ramped up its vaccination drive by opening more centers including the drive-through centers.
The fight against COVID-19 has proved that Qatar’s healthcare system has the efficiency to respond to a pandemic. Over the years, Qatar has made significant investments in healthcare infrastructure, as well as promoting a comprehensive approach for the well being of all.
