MOPH urges eligible people not to delay getting COVID-19 booster dose
Qatar’s Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) has called on all eligible citizens and residents not to delay their vaccination appointment for the COVID-19 vaccine booster dose to make sure they are safeguarded against the virus.
The Ministry has been administering the vaccine booster shot to eligible individuals in the country since September 15, 2021.
Booster doses of Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines are being given to high-risk individuals who took their second shot over eight months ago.
People aged over 50, those who are immunocompromised and those with chronic conditions that increase the risk for severe COVID-19 (regardless of age) are also eligible to receive the booster dose.
Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) urged individuals who are eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine booster dose not to delay their vaccination appointment to ensure they continue to have high levels of protection against the virus. #QNAhttps://t.co/pROoa9tCsD pic.twitter.com/evKIbzhei0
— Qatar News Agency (@QNAEnglish) October 10, 2021
Head of Vaccination at MOPH, Dr Soha Al Bayat underlined the importance of the booster dose for eligible individuals.
"It is clear from the latest clinical evidence that for most people the protective immunity obtained from the first two doses of the vaccine gradually begins to decline after eight months. Everyone currently eligible for a booster dose is considered to be at high risk of severe COVID-19 infection due to either their age or health status. For this reason, it is essential that people act quickly and come forward for their booster dose appointment when invited," she said.
"The current COVID-19 status in Qatar is very promising. Thanks to the high rates of vaccination among our community and strong compliance to the preventive measures, the number of new daily COVID-19 cases has remained low in recent weeks,” she added.
However, this does not mean people become complacent, she pointed out. “We know that individuals who received their second dose more than eight months ago will most likely begin to lose some of their immunity against the virus. Unless they receive their booster vaccine, they will be more vulnerable to severe infection," Dr Al Bayat noted.
Speaking about the vaccine booster doses, Dr Samya Al Abdulla, Senior Consultant of Family Medicine and Executive Director of Operations at PHCC, said that the booster doses have proven to be safe and are not linked with any significant side effects.
"Clinical evidence from Qatar and around the world shows booster doses to be safe and effective. The risk of side effects following the booster vaccine dose is no higher than the risk associated with the primary vaccine series.
“Since the start of the National COVID-19 Vaccination Program, and following the administration of more than 4.7 million vaccine doses, we have only seen a small number of people reporting very mild or modest side effects including low-grade fever, mild headache, fatigue and soreness at the injection site, which is commonly seen with other vaccines," she said.
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