The Covid-19 booster dose by Pfizer has been approved by the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) for children aged 12–15 years. The move is expected to show the efficacy and safety of doses in the mentioned age group.

The need to administer the booster dose for children is extremely important, given the rise in the number of cases. The third dose of the Covid-19 vaccine is likely to significantly raise their immunity levels against all Covid-19 variants including the Delta and Omicron ones.

When the Ministry approved the usage of two vaccine doses for children in May 2021, nearly nine out of ten kids in Qatar received the shot. Only minor side effects were reported and the vaccines were observed to be fairly effective in reducing their vulnerability to the virus.

As regards eligibility, children of the 12–15 years age group whose second dose was more than six months ago are allowed to get the vaccine. This development comes soon after the Ministry recently approved booster doses for children aged 16–17 years. MoPH is insistent on encouraging parents to get their children vaccinated with all vaccine doses to safeguard their health.

Parents can reach out to their respective Primary Health Care Centers (PHCCs) or call the hotline on 4027 7077 to book an appointment for their child. The PHCCs are also allowing walk-ins for vaccines for this age group.