To avert the threat of Delta variant in the country, health officials have advised the public to not compromise on preventive measures and have called upon the individuals still not vaccinated to get the shots.
“If you got the vaccine thanks for doing that. If you got the first dose please go ahead and take the second dose. If you are still hesitant, it is time for you to decide and help us control Delta variant before it spreads more in the community,” said Dr. Yousef Al Maslamani, Medical Director of Hamad General Hospital in a video message posted on social media accounts of the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH).
Dr. Al Maslamani said with the COVID-19 delta variant now in Qatar, like most countries around the world, it is more important than ever to get vaccinated.
“I would like to thank public for two things; one for following the instructions regarding precautions and the other thing is taking vaccines.”
These two things, he said, helped the authorities in reducing the number of cases and control the disease. “After Eid Al Adha, the numbers started picking up but this is expected because of socialising. Delta is now present all over the world and in Qatar. This variant is very contagious and spreads very fast. We now have vaccines which are effective against that variant and others and is safe for the public.”
Dr. Jameela Alajmi, Executive Director Corporate Infection Prevention and Control at HMC, highlighted the importance of continuing to follow COVID-19 precautionary measures.
“We must not become complacent … COVID-19 is still a threat to our health … I ask you to must commit towards preventive measures and restrictions imposed to control the virus and prevent any significant rise in COVID-19 cases.
“This means continuing to wear a mask, maintaining social distance, washing your hands and speeding up your vaccination.”
According to Ministry’s data, 88.5% of the eligible population has now received at least one dose of the vaccine while 98.6% of over 60s (the most vulnerable population group) have been vaccinated with at least one dose, while 93.9% have received both doses.
SOURCE – https://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/article/09/08/2021/Health-officials-urge-unvaccinated-to-get-jabs-to-counter-Delta-s-threat
