Experts urge all eligible to get Covid vaccine's third dose

The slight increase in new daily cases of Covid-19 in the past two weeks in Qatar among people who were previously vaccinated is a reminder that the fight against Covid-19 is not yet over, said Dr Abdullatif Al Khal, Chair of the National Health Strategic Group on Covid-19 Head of the Infectious Diseases Division at Hamad Medical Corporation. Dr. Al Khal said, therefore it is crucial that those who had their second vaccine dose more than six months ago get their Covid-19 booster vaccine without delay, to ensure they continue to be protected and enjoy near normal everyday activities. In a series of tweets on experts' advice on Covid vaccine's third dose posted by the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) on Sunday, Dr Al Khal said the high rate of vaccination within the population has been one of the most important factors in Qatar's successful Covid-19 strategy in controlling the spread of the virus. This has meant that the number of new daily Covid-19 cases, hospital admissions and deaths has remained very low, pointed out Dr. Al Khal. Dr. Hamad Eid Al Romaihi, Co-chairperson of the National Pandemic Preparedness Committee Director of Health Protection and Communicable Diseases at MoPH, said it is clear from the latest clinical evidence that for most people the protective immunity obtained from the first two doses of the Covid-19 vaccine gradually declines six months after the second dose. With the virus continuing to circulate in Qatar and around the world it is important that all eligible individuals receive their booster vaccine promptly to ensure they have high levels of immunity against the virus, Dr. Al Romaihi reminded. Thanks to the compliance of the community in coming forward for their Covid-19 vaccinations, Qatar has managed to suppress the spread of the virus, he said. However, Covid-19 remains a threat to the health and all must not become complacent. The dedicated teams at PHCC are currently administering Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna Covid-19 booster vaccinations to people who had their second vaccine dose more than six months ago, said Dr. Mariam Abdulmalik, Managing Director of PHCC. All individuals who meet this criteria are encouraged to get their booster vaccine promptly to ensure they continue to have high levels of protection against Covid-19, said Dr. Abdulmalik. Booster vaccines are available at all Primary Health Care Corporation health centers and PHCC is directly contacting people who are eligible to set an appointment, she added. Anyone who is eligible and has not yet been contacted can call the PHCC hotline on 4027 7077 to schedule an appointment. The vaccination appointments can also be made via PHCC's mobile app, Nar'aakom, she said. The roll-out of the National Covid-19 Vaccination Program has been a great success and resulted in Qatar having one of the highest vaccination rates in the world, pointed out Dr. Muna Al Maslamani Medical Director, Communicable Disease Center. However, Covid-19 is still a threat to the health of the population and as the immunity from the primary vaccine series starts to decline six months after the second dose, it is vitally important that eligible people receive their Covid-19 booster vaccine promptly, she said. The booster vaccine will enhance immunity against the virus and provide longer-term protection, Dr. Al Maslamani added. If one is eligible for the booster vaccine, it shouldnt be delayed, cautioned.