All you need to know about the COVID-19 vaccine in Qatar

Qatar’s Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) has launched an official microsite for the COVID-19 vaccine.

The microsite highlights essential information about the vaccine in Qatar including groups, which will be given priority, answers to some common questions, among others.

Here’s everything you need to know (based on information from the microsite):

Priority Groups

Everyone is at risk of getting COVID-19 and developing serious complications from the virus, but certain population groups are at higher risk.

It is therefore more important for these groups to receive the vaccine as soon as it is available. 

Initially, vaccines will be prioritized for three key population groups, according to MoPH.

These are: older people, people with certain chronic conditions and key healthcare workers.

Older people

Evidence from both here in Qatar and around the world clearly shows that the risk of developing severe complications due to COVID-19 increases with age.

People over 65 years of age have a higher risk of severe illness and death. 

People with chronic conditions

People with certain long-term chronic medical conditions, including diabetes, asthma, and heart disease, or compromised immune systems, have an increased risk of developing severe complications as a result of COVID-19, regardless of their age.

Healthcare workers

Healthcare workers, especially doctors, nurses and paramedics working directly with COVID-19 patients, have an increased risk of being exposed to COVID-19 and contracting the virus.

Moreover, these workers could potentially spread COVID-19 to their patients, many of whom may be at increased risk of severe complications due to chronic conditions or compromised immune systems.

How do vaccines work?

- Vaccines are very effective and save millions of lives around the world every year.  Vaccines protect people by providing immunity from many serious diseases such as hepatitis B, measles, meningitis, mumps, rubella, tuberculosis and seasonal influenza.

- Vaccines contain weakened or inactive parts of a particular organism that stimulate an immune response within the body. Vaccines help to develop immunity by imitating an infection. This type of infection doesn’t cause illness, but it does cause the immune system to produce antibodies.

- Sometimes, after getting a vaccine, the imitation infection can cause minor symptoms, such as fever. Such minor symptoms are normal and should be expected as the body builds immunity.

- It typically takes a few weeks for the body to produce antibodies after vaccination. Therefore, it is possible that a person could be infected with the disease just after vaccination and then get sick because the vaccine did not have enough time to provide protection.

- Some vaccines, including most of the COVID-19 vaccines currently being tested, require more than one shot of the vaccine to provide strong immunity.

- The term ‘herd immunity’ is often used when describing the way in which vaccines work. Herd immunity occurs when enough of the population (typically around 70 percent) become immune to a disease. This is because it greatly reduces the ability of the virus to spread from person to person to any significant degree.

- Vaccination not only protects the person receiving the vaccine, but also other people around them as it reduces the risk of transfer. For this reason, even people at low risk of serious complications due to certain diseases – including COVID-19 – should get vaccinated to protect their family and friends.

FAQ’s related to the COVID-19 vaccine

When will the vaccines be available in Qatar?

The Ministry of Public Health has signed two agreements with leading international pharmaceutical companies to procure their COVID-19 vaccines as soon as they are approved and released for global use. These agreements are with Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech.

The Pfizer and BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine has been approved for emergency use by the Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Control in the Ministry of Public Health.

Their review showed that the vaccine is safe and effective in accordance with international standards. The MOPH approval of the Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine follows similar approvals in other countries including the United States and the United Kingdom. The approval of the Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine means there is good reason to be optimistic that the COVID-19 vaccines can enable life to return to normal sooner rather than later.​

Will the COVID-19 vaccines be available for everyone in Qatar?

Qatar aims to procure sufficient quantities of the COVID-19 vaccines to vaccinate every citizen and resident in the country.

However, certain population groups are at higher risk of severe COVID-19 complications and therefore they will be given priority to ensure early access to the vaccines when they are available.

I am young and healthy so why do I need the COVID-19 vaccine?

Young and healthy people may be at low risk of developing serious complications from COVID-19 but they have the same risk of catching the virus as other people and they can then transfer the virus onto more vulnerable people including elderly relatives. Taking the vaccine is as much about protecting others as about protecting yourself.​

Is the Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine approved for children?

No. The trials of the vaccine have focused on safety and efficacy of the vaccine for adults and the MOPH’s Pharmacy and Drug Control Department has currently approved its use only for people aged 16 years and older.

Can people with allergies have the Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine?​

People with a significant history of allergic reactions will not be given the Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine. Anyone with an allergy should discuss this with the doctor before receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.

The COVID-19 vaccines are being developed and tested very quickly – will they be safe?

Yes. Despite the speed at which the COVID-19 vaccines are being developed and tested, they are still following a strict testing and approval process.

It is important to note that the whole world is committed to finding a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine and never before has so much effort and resources been put into the development of a vaccine.

Will life return to normal once the COVID-19 vaccines are available in Qatar?

2020 has been a difficult year for people around the world and COVID-19 has impacted many aspects of daily life. The arrival and widespread uptake of the approved COVID-19 vaccines among Qatar’s population will hopefully enable us to return to our pre-COVID-19 lifestyles.

Will the COVID-19 vaccines be free for citizens and residents of Qatar?

Yes. Qatar will provide the COVID-19 vaccines to citizens and residents free of charge.

Do I need the COVID-19 vaccine if I have already had the virus?

Yes. COVID-19 is still a relatively new and unknown virus and while research to date indicates that people who have been infected with COVID-19 build up natural immunity it is unclear how long this immunity lasts and how effective it is.

What can I do to protect myself and others while we await the COVID-19 vaccine?

As we await the approval and distribution of the COVID-19 vaccines it is very important that people follow basic preventive measures to protect themselves and those around them from the virus: wear a mask as advised; maintain social distancing; avoid large gatherings of people; and wash hands regularly.

The ministry has also highlighted the importance of relying on trusted information sources for authentic information.

The below have been listed as Trusted Information Sources: