Herpes Zoster Vaccine now available at all health centers in Qatar

Doha, Qatar: The Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) has announced the availability of the Herpes Zoster Vaccine across all its health centers, fre...

Doha, Qatar: The Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) has announced the availability of the Herpes Zoster Vaccine across all its health centers, free of charge for citizens and residents. This initiative comes as part of PHCC’s ongoing commitment to protecting public health and strengthening disease prevention efforts against infectious illnesses and their complications.

The herpes zoster virus typically appears as a painful rash with fluid-filled blisters that develop in a localized area of the skin following the path of a single nerve.

In nearly 80% of cases, symptoms such as tingling, itching, or a burning sensation appears a few days before the rash develops. These symptoms tend to be more severe in individuals with weakened immune systems.

Dr. Rand Aboud, Family Medicine Specialist at PHCC’s Omar Bin Al Khattab Health Center, explained that herpes zoster often causes intense, burning pain that can significantly affect a person’s quality of life. “One in three people will develop herpes zoster at some point in their lifetime,” she said, “and the risk increases substantially after the age of 50.”