Medical Director of the Communicable Disease Center (CDC), Dr. Muna Al Maslamani
Doha: Qatar saw only four cases of Covid-19 reinfections and those people, who got infected again, were asymptomatic during their first and second infections.
Dr Muna Al Maslamani, Medical Director of the Communicable Diseases Center (CDC) of the Hamad Medical Corporation, said during “Al-Sabah Rabah” programme on Al Rayyan television that four cases of reinfections were registered in Qatar and the gap between the first and second infections varied between 45 days to 87 days. The four cases did not show any symptoms during the first or second infections.
She pointed out that more studies are needed to know the immune protection that a person infected with the virus acquires and to determine the exact period of persistence those antibodies have in the body.
The Ministry of Public Health has signed deals with most important international manufacturers of Covid-19 vaccinations and Qatar will immediately obtain them as soon as it receives necessary approvals.
She added that there is a new test to detect the Covid-19 virus – antigen test - which takes 15 minutes and received approval recently. It has an accuracy rate of 97% and will be made available in relevant departments of HMC soon. The PCR examination has an accuracy rate of 100% but takes between 6-8 hours.
She also stressed the importance of getting the seasonal influenza vaccinations, especially for children - 6 months to 5 years old - pregnant women, elderly and people with chronic diseases to prevent the virus, especially at a time of Covid-19 pandemic.
She explained that scientists have noticed increase in spread of Covid-19 virus if the temperature and humidity is low.
When the humidity is low, the virus stays in the air for longer periods, and when the temperature is low, the virus lives outside the body more.
The end of the Corona pandemic depends on the existence of a vaccine or treatment for this virus, as well as on human behavior by adhering to precautionary measures, which are an important factor in preventing infection.
