As Qatar continues to roll out the first phase of its largest vaccination campaign ever, the country’s Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) has been urging the elderly (60 and above) and those with chronic conditions to get vaccinated against COVID-19 the soonest.
The program focuses on vaccinating not only older home healthcare patients but also other adults living with them in the same house.
According to MoPH, since the launch of Qatar’s National COVID-19 Vaccination Program, 61 percent of people over the age of 70 have received at least one shot of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Minister of Public Health, Her Excellency Dr Hanan Mohamed Al Kuwari once again called on the elderly and those currently in the eligibility group to avoid delaying their vaccination process.
“The sooner you start, the sooner you will be protected,” HE the Minister underlined.
The Ministry of Public Health has announced that 61 percent of people over 70 years of age have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose since the start of Qatar’s National COVID-19 Vaccination Program. pic.twitter.com/PFro0ArHcT
— مؤسسة حمد الطبية (@HMC_Qatar) March 2, 2021
National Health Strategy 2018-2022 Lead for Healthy Ageing, Dr Hanadi Al Hamad said that the elderly are at a higher risk from COVID-19.
“It is incredibly pleasing to know that six out of ten people over 70 years of age have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose,” she commented.
"Every day, more and more older people in Qatar are receiving their second vaccine dose and building their protection against COVID-19,” she added.
A recent study in the UK that looked into the protective effects of one vaccine dose found the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to be very effective in preventing hospital and ICU admissions due to COVID-19 for those over 80 years (after they had gotten one dose), MoPH highlighted.
“People of all ages and health conditions can become infected with COVID-19, but since the start of the pandemic it has been clear that older people are more vulnerable to severe complications from the virus,” Dr Al Hamad pointed out.
In comparison to younger age groups, older people are more likely to require hospitalization or ICU admission for life-saving treatment, she said.
“In addition to elderly patients being vaccinated at health centers, more than 90 percent of elderly Hamad Medical Corporation inpatients have received their first vaccine dose and every day, our Home HealthCare Service teams are visiting elderly housebound patients in the comfort and safety of their homes to administer vaccines,” the public health official stated.
Most of the elderly population in Qatar have received their vaccinations at one of the 27 Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) health centers.
PHCC teams continue to directly contact older people to set their vaccination appointments.
Individuals above 60 who have not yet been vaccinated and need to book an appointment have been asked to call PHCC on 4027 7077.
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