Vaccination Campaign

The COVID-19 vaccine is used for protection against the virus. It stimulates the body to produce antibodies in a natural way, and it stimulates immune cells to protect against COVID-19. Qatar currently offers the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines.

The MOPH-approved vaccines are Pfizer-BioNTech (Comirnaty) (two doses), Moderna (Spikefax) (two doses), AstraZeneca (Coveshield/Oxford/Vaxepheria) (two doses), and Jansen/Johnson & Johnson (one dose).

As for the conditionally-approved vaccines, these are Sinopharm (two doses), Sinovac (two doses), Sputnik (V) (two doses), and Covaxin (two doses).

Yes. The vaccine has passed a strict testing and approval process. The required steps for new vaccines have been followed, but at an accelerated pace given the ongoing situation.

The COVID-19 vaccine is given as an injection into the arm. There are two doses which are given either 21 or 28 days apart, depending on the specific vaccine received. A third booster dose is administered to individuals after six months from receiving their second vaccine dose.

Yes. Qatar is providing the COVID-19 vaccine to citizens and residents free of charge.

Priority group patients will be contacted by PHCC on phone/SMS to book an appointment. People can submit their interest in receiving the vaccine and booster via the MOPH online system. Those who register their interest and are in the first priority groups will be given earlier appointments. Those who register via the online page but are not in a priority group will be contacted when they become eligible for a vaccine or booster.

Anyone who is eligible for a booster vaccine and has not yet been contacted can call the PHCC hotline or use the PHCC’s mobile app, Nar’aakom, to schedule an appointment.

The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine requires two injections, given 21 days apart while the Moderna vaccine also requires two shots 28 days apart.

While the first dose does offer a level of protection against the virus, the second dose is required to develop maximum protection, which is developed around 10 days after the second dose.

The MOPH approved third doses of the ‘Pfizer-BioNTech’ and ‘Moderna’ vaccines for all individuals after six months from receiving their second COVID-19 vaccine dose, and encourages all those eligibale to take the booster vaccine as soon as they reach their validity date.

Extensive clinical trials on the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines show both vaccines are around 95 percent effective at preventing symptomatic COVID-19 infection after two doses.

COVID-19 vaccines reduce your risk of catching COVID-19, but do not completely prevent this from happening. However, they do significantly reduce the chances of getting severe infection and becoming very sick or dying.

Fully vaccinated people are likely to experience only mild symptoms if infected.

Yes. COVID-19 vaccines reduce the vaccinated individual’s ability to transfer the virus to others, but do not completely prevent transmission. Therefore, it is important to continue mask-wearing and physical distancing. To protect yourself and others, follow these measures:

• Wear a mask over your nose and mouth
• Practice physical distancing
• Avoid poorly ventilated spaces
• Avoid crowded areas
• Wash and sanitize your hands often

All citizens and residents who have received two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine will be eligible for a vaccination certificate seven days after their second dose. The certificate will be available to download from the MOPH website. Individuals who receive the booster dose will have their certificates updated to reflect this.

Seven days after the second dose of the vaccine, a Golden Frame will appear around the QR code in the app. In the “Vaccination” tab, your vaccination details will be displayed, including the date of the doses and the name of the vaccine received.

The Ministry of Public Health has stated that individuals whose second COVID-19 vaccine dose of Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna or AstraZeneca has had a 9 month period, will be considered unvaccinated and will lose their Gold Frame status on Ehteraz. Receiving a booster vaccine dose will reinstate their Gold Frame status for a further 9 months. This aligns Qatar with the protective actions being taken by other countries in the region and the world, to address the ongoing pandemic.

Deciding whether or not to take the vaccine is a personal choice. However, the COVID-19 vaccine offers our best protection against the virus. Frontline workers such as medical staff are strongly advised to take the vaccine to not only protect themselves but also their patients and the community. A plethora of primary clinical and scientific research has been done since the advent of COVID-19 which shows the benefits of receiving the vaccine on the health and safety of the general public.

Some people do suffer mild symptoms after being vaccinated. This is not the disease itself, but the body’s response to the vaccine. No severe side effects have been reported to the MOPH since the start of the vaccination programme. Common reactions that may affect up to one in 10 people and typically get better within days include:

• Sore arm
• Headache
• Chills
• Tiredness
• Feeling sick
• Fever
• Dizziness
• Weakness
• Aching muscles

Yes. There is no evidence that the COVID-19 vaccines contain ingredients that are harmful to pregnant women or to a developing baby.

It is strongly advised that you do not miss your scheduled vaccination appointment, especially the second dose. If this is unavoidable, please Call PHCC on 4027 7077 to discuss rescheduling their appointment.

The Ministry of Public Health has approved its use for children aged five and over.

This decision is in line with the recent studies demonstrating the safety and efficacy of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for children in this age group, as well as the clinical evidence from countries around the world who have already begun vaccinating children aged five and over.

Yes. But you may be advised to wait for a period of time before receiving the vaccine. Please discuss this with your doctor.

Please tell the vaccination provider about all medical conditions, including if you:

• Have any allergies
• Have a fever
• Have a bleeding disorder or are on a blood thinner
• Are immunocompromised or are on a medicine that affects your immune system
• Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant
• Are breastfeeding
• Have received another COVID-19 vaccine

If you have any questions or concerns about the COVID-19 vaccine, please call the 16000 helpline for support.