The COVID-19 booster dose vaccination campaign is picking up pace in Qatar with people thronging health centres to receive the jabs to remain protected. Qatar has so far administered a total of 240,154 COVID-19 booster vaccine doses.
A video broadcast by Al Rayyan satellite channel showed a great demand from citizens and residents to take the third dose at Al Thumama Health Center.
The PHCC centres are now receiving people who had received two doses of the COVID-19 vaccines more than six months ago to obtain the third dose.
Ali Abdullah Al Nuaimi, who received the third dose, said, “I advise all the people to take the third dose, and as you can see, there is a great demand for this dose.”
He said, “I know that some are afraid of this dose, and I tell them that it does not have any problem, and its symptoms are normal pain in the muscles like in case of the first and second doses.”
Dr Abdul-Qader Sarhan, a consultant at the Al Thumama Health Center, said the third dose provides protection from mutated variant Omicron, and there is a good demand for taking the third dose.
He added that the side effects are mild headache and mild muscle pain. He said the booster dose gives 75 percent immunity.
With Omicron coronavirus variant spurring a new wave of infections globally, many people are now visiting health centres voluntarily to get the COVID-19 booster dose.
Though the PHCC staff normally contact the eligible population for the third dose, the health centres are now seeing more people walking into the facilities to enquire about the jab.
The Ministry of Public Health warned of the danger at this stage in fighting the virus, and stressed the importance of qualified members of society receiving the booster dose without any delay.
The MoPH said it is important for everyone to play their role in controlling the virus by following precautionary measures such as adherence to physical distancing, wearing a face mask and washing hands regularly.
COVID-19 booster dose vaccination picking up pace
December 28, 2021