Dr Abdullah Al Kubaisi (second left), the first person to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine in Qatar, and Mohammed Frazat (left), the first expatriate to receive the vaccine, with Dr. Abdullatif Al Khal and other officials at the Al Wajbah Heal
Doha: Qatar has become among the first countries in the world to provide a safe, effective and approved COVID-19 vaccine totally free for its population, as the largest ever vaccination campaign was launched across the country yesterday.
The former president of Qatar University, Dr. Abdullah Al Kubaisi, was the first person who received Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in Qatar.
The 79-year-old Qatari citizen received the vaccine dose at 8.45am yesterday at the Al Wajbah Health Center in first phase of the vaccination campaign. Mohammed Frazat, an 88-year-old Syrian, was the second person in Qatar and first expatriate who received the vaccine among hundreds of residents.
The Minister of Public Health, H E Dr. Hanan Mohamad Al Kuwari, in a statement, said: “As directed by Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, we have worked hard, along with our partners across government, since the early stages of vaccine development at the start of the pandemic to ensure Qatar was among the first countries in the world to provide a safe, effective and approved vaccine totally free for its population. The vaccination of Dr. Abdulla Al Kubaisi marks the start of what will be the largest national vaccination programme in the history of our country.”
Dr. Al Kubaisi, a former university professor and senior citizen, has said that receiving the vaccine has given him hope for a gradual return to normal life. “I am proud and honoured to be the first person vaccinated in Qatar,” said Dr. Al Kubaisi.
“This has been a very difficult year for me and my family, living with the constant threat of the virus and fear for my health. I would like to thank the leadership of our country for their actions to confront the COVID-19 pandemic and for their efforts in bringing the vaccine to Qatar so quickly,” he said.
“I have listened to the advice and instructions from health officials throughout this pandemic and I have full trust on them,” he said encouraging everyone eligible to receive the vaccine to embrace the opportunity and get vaccinated.
Seven health centers in the country started the rollout by vaccinating people of over 70 age and some healthcare staff.
The first phase of vaccination will continue until January 31.
“The Pfizer -BioNTech vaccine we are utilising has met all safety and efficacy standards and has been approved by the European Union’s medicines regulator, the European Medicines Agency, the United States Food and Drug Administration, and the Ministry of Public Health’s Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Control for emergency use,” said Chair of the National Health Strategic Group on COVID-19, Dr. Abdullatif Al Khal.
Director, Health Protection and Communicable Disease Control Department, Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) Dr. Hamad Al Romaihi, who was among the first batch of people to receive the vaccine yesterday highlighted on the protocol of getting vaccine.
“The vaccine consists of two shots, given three weeks apart. It is very important for people who took the first shot of the vaccine to take second as well,” he said while speaking at a television programme.
In the first phase of vaccination preference will be given to people over 70 years old, adults in chronic care and home care facilities, healthcare personnel most at risk of infection and people over 16 years of age with severe chronic diseases.
During an Instagram live question and answer session, Head of Vaccination at MoPH, Dr. Soha Al Bayat, encouraged everyone to take the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, though it is not compulsory. “Protect yourself to protect others around you,” she said.
“It’s optional, you have the right to say yes or no. But we highly encourage you to take the vaccine to keep yourself safe and the community,” said Dr. Al Bayat.
Dr. Al-Bayat also emphasized the Pfizer-BioNTtech COVID-19 vaccine is safe and has passed all the regulatory approvals.
“People around the world and those who took the vaccine in Qatar have not shown any serious side effects,” she said.
Dr. Al Bayat also explained that the vaccine does not impact genetics as it will not enter the nucleus where the DNA is stored.
According to Dr. Al Bayat people will be required to continue taking precautions until about 70 percent of the population is vaccinated against COVID-19.
While answering a question from the public whether the vaccine would work for new virus strain found in UK, Dr. Al Bayat replied, “As per the scientific data has not shown that the new strain is different from the old strain. Just its way transmission is a little different. We are told based on the scientific information that the current vaccine should also work for the new strain.”
