The world is again getting weighed down and normal life is being disturbed as the newest variant of the Coronavirus is spreading fast and taking its toll across the world. Omicron has already spread to 150 countries, including Qatar, and has been found very contagious. Health authorities across the world have been calling on people to be more cautious and practise personal hygiene and safety measures such as frequent use of hand sanitisers, face masks, keeping social distance and avoiding crowded places.
From the day one the COVID-19 came calling on the Qatari shores, the government has been acting with farsightedness putting in whatever measures needed to tackle the virus. By building special facilities, appointing additional staff and coordinating with different agencies, the country tackled the pandemic in a highly successful way bringing applause from across the world. While hundreds of thousands of people lost their life to the virus the world over, Qatar is one of the few countries which recorded the lowest COVID-19 death rate.
Now, the country is facing another surge in the virus as the number of people tested positive rising to more than a couple of hundreds for the last few days. The Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) warned the people saying that this is a “critical period” in the fight against the pandemic.
Qatar was one of the first countries to offer the best vaccines to citizens and residents alike free of cost and now more than 86 percent of the country’s eligible population is fully vaccinated with both doses. MoPH is calling on to people who have completed six months after the second dose to go for the third dose immediately as the country is witnessing yet another surge in the pandemic.
While the detection of Omicron in the country poses an additional risk as evidence shows that the variant is highly transmissible and the countries with its presence are recording rapidly rising numbers of cases. But there is a silver lining that a shot of booster offers 75 percent additional protection from Omicron.
Yesterday, Qatar further eased the regulations for getting the booster dose. Officials said that those eligible for the third shot can avail it by appointment or by walking into one of the health centres. As the country is doing its maximum to protect the people, it is our duty to heed the call and rise up to the situation.
By adopting precautionary measures and going for the third jab will not only be protecting ourselves but also we will fulfilling a national duty.
