Doha: Qatar’s National COVID-19 Vaccination Campaign has received great response from education sector as over 90 percent school staff has been vaccinated and 70 percent eligible students (ages 12 to 17 years) have received at least one dose.
“We received great response by employees of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, teachers and other staffers,” said Medical Director of Hamad General Hospital, Dr. Yousef Al Maslamani while speaking in a Qatar TV programme yesterday.
He said so far, 70 percent children, eligible for COVID-19 vaccines (from age 12 to 17), have received at least one dose of vaccine. “This is encouraging. I would like to thank parents for their support for the vaccine drive,” said Dr. Al Maslamani.
He said that over 90 percent school staff has been vaccinated, urging people to take appointment for vaccination as soon as possible because now the vaccine is the only way to protect them from Delta variant.
To a question about availability of vaccines in the country, Dr. Al Maslamani said: “Vaccines are available in large quantity. We are vaccinating about 20,000 people in a day.” He said that vaccines will help greatly in lifting COVID-19 restrictions like allowing more gatherings and lead to 100 percent in-person classroom teaching gradually.
He said that special and general preventive measures will be implemented in schools to protect students and staff from COVID-19 pandemic during the new academic year which will begin on August 29 in public schools.
“The special measures include blended learning system with 50 percent capacity of school with rotational attendance.” Other measures are general which are being implemented across the country like wearing face masks by students and staff in schools and maintaining social distancing.
He said that school staff is required to show green status in Ehtraz app likewise parents if they want to enter school campus.
“The school staff who could not take the vaccines will undergo weekly COVID-19 tests to protect them and other from the pandemic.”
Speaking about the decision to implement blended learning with 50 percent capacity, Dr. Al Maslamani said that the number of students reduced to 50 percent to ensure enough spaces for maintaining social distancing.
He said that the health indicators are being reviewed on weekly basis by the strategic committee like number of daily new cases and admission rate in hospitals. “The committee will suggest new measures as per the need in future based on COVID-19 situation in the country,” said Dr. Al Maslamani.
Meanwhile, Community Medicine Specialist at Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC), Dr. Hana Khudair Saleh, has also encouraged parents to support their children aged 12 years and above to get vaccinated in advance of the new academic year. “Children aged 12 and above have been eligible during recent months to get vaccinated in Qatar,” Dr. Hana said in a video message posted on MoPH twitter.
She said that over 60 percent of children aged 12 to 15 have been vaccinated with no major side effects reported.
“With schools due to start at the end of August, it is important that as many children as possible are vaccinated in order to ensure a safe school environment.” She urged parents to contact their health center to make an appointment to vaccinate their children.
