Over 55% of people aged 12-15 years vaccinated

Qatar has seen great progresses in vaccinating children, as more than 55 percent of the age group between 12 and 15 years have received both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. 

Children aged from 12 to 15 years are being offered the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine since May 16, in the country.

“I would like to inform that up to now more than 55 percent of the age group 12 to 15 years has received both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine,” Dr. Soha Al Bayat, Head of Vaccination at the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH), said in a video message posted on the official social media handles of the Ministry. 

“It is a good percentage but we need more, so I urge all parents who have not yet vaccinated their children to do so to ensure their wellbeing and good health,” she added. 

At the time of extending the opportunity for children aged 12 to 15 years to take the Pfizer vaccine, the Ministry said that the move will help Qatar to ensure a return to greater normality when the school year starts. 

Speaking about implementation of precautions measures in schools to ensure the safe return of students, Dr. Al Bayat said: “With the start of the new school year I would like to re-assure parents that all necessary measures have been taken to ensure the safety and wellbeing of their children has been taken. 

“The 50 percent attendance assures that there will be no crowding in the classes as well as all classes were set up to maintain a minimum space of 1.5 metres between each student,” she said. 

Speaking to The Peninsula recently, Dr. Jameela Alajmi, Senior Consultant Infectious Diseases, Executive Director Infection Prevention and Control at Hamad Medical Corporation said that the school is considered an environment that contains a mixture of vaccinated students and students who are not eligible for vaccination below 12 years old. 

“Among the age group between 12 and 17 years old, some of them are vaccinated and some of them have not yet received the vaccination so the risk of catching infection can be easily through direct person-to-person contact. 

“Therefore the Ministry recommends mask-wearing for all students, teachers, staff, and school visitors regardless of vaccination status,” she had said. 

To mention the Ministry has introduced a strong set of regulations to keep students, teachers and other staff at schools safe and limit the spread of COVID-19.