COVID-recovered people can take vaccine: Official

Tribune News Network Doha A person who has recovered from COVID-19 can take the vaccine, a senior health official has said. “The recovered patient has immu...

Tribune News NetworkDohaA person who has recovered from COVID-19 can take the vaccine, a senior health official has said.“The recovered patient has immunity for three months. Once the patient recovers from the infection, he/she can take the vaccine after the end of the quarantine period, provided that he did not receive plasma treatment. If the patient had received plasma treatment, he/she must wait for three months before getting the two doses of vaccination,” Dr Hamad Al Rumaihi, Director of Health Protection and Communicable Diseases Control at the Ministry of Public Health, said.He said some studies suggested giving only one dose to the recovered patient. However, as per the current protocol of the Ministry of Public Health, two doses of the vaccine are to be given to the recovered patient, he added.Dr Rumaihi said people who took the first dose in their countries and came to Qatar will be quarantined.“So, we recommend that they complete the vaccination and then come to Qatar,” he added.“Every country has priorities, and currently there is a shortage of COVID-19 vaccines in many countries. Therefore people coming from abroad will not be exempted from the hotel quarantine,” he said, calling on everyone coming to Qatar to complete their vaccination in their country.If this person is residing in Qatar, he can get the second dose in Qatar. But if he is a visitor, the priority is currently for citizens and residents of the country, he added.He said the past few weeks saw an increase in COVID-19 infection among children along with the general population.Dr Rumaihi attributed the spike to several factors but singled out family visits as the most prominent cause of infection among children.He called on parents to encourage children to wear masks outside their homes as he reminded them that children are not yet eligible to receive COVID-19 vaccine in Qatar.