The Ministry of Public Health held a press conference Monday night to talk about the latest developments related to Coronavirus (Covid-19) and the vaccination protocols for the Covid-19 vaccine in Qatar.
According to MOPH, the first shipment of approved Pfizer and BioNTech vaccines will arrive at Hamad International Airport late tonight, Monday 21 December. Dr. Al Khal mentioned during the press conference that Qatar will start the vaccination campaign against COVID-19 on Wednesday, December 23.
The Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine has been given emergency use authorization by both the Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Control in the Ministry of Public Health and the US Food and Drug Administration.
Despite the speed at which the vaccine has been developed and tested, it has still followed a strict testing and approval process.
Several countries around the world, including the UK, US and Canada have approved use of the vaccine and begun their vaccination campaigns.
According to MOPH officials, the first phase of the Covid-19 vaccination in Qatar will be from December 23, 2020 to January 31, 2021.
Qatar's vaccination strategy will enable everyone to be vaccinated against COVID-19 in 2021, but for now, with a limited quantity of vaccines, we must prioritize people most at risk from severe complications and death from the virus.
This includes people over 70 years of age, people with multiple chronic conditions and key healthcare staff working in close contact with COVID-19 patients.
The COVID-19 vaccines will be available at 7 primary health centers for people who meet the initial priority criteria.
The primary health centers are:
Patients who have been selected will be contacted by phone/SMS to advise them of their selection for the vaccine and invited to attend an appointment at one of the 7 designated health centers.
The widespread uptake of COVID-19 vaccines throughout the population is the best hope of ending this pandemic and of life returning to normal.
The press conference was presided by Dr. Abdullatif Al Khal, Chair of the National Health Strategic Group on COVID-19 and Head of Infectious Diseases at Hamad Medical Corporation, Dr. Hamad Al Rumaihi, Director of the Health Protection and Communicable Diseases Control Department at Ministry of Public Health and Dr. Mariam Abdulmalik, the Managing Director of Primary Health Care Corporation.
For more information visit www.moph.gov.qa or call the COVID-19 helpline on 16000.
The Ministry of Public Health held a press conference this evening on the latest developments related to the COVID-19 vaccine.
— وزارة الصحة العامة (@MOPHQatar) December 21, 2020
The press conference featured: pic.twitter.com/a78LuynPIB
Sources: Ministry of Public Health; MOPH press conference broadcasted through Al Rayyan & Qatar Television
Cover image: Al Rayyan TV
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