* Over 60% of children aged 12-15 vaccinated
* Blended learning system to ensure health and safety of students
A Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) official has encouraged parents to support their children aged 12 years and above to get vaccinated against Covid-19 ahead of the new academic year.
This was highlighted through a video message posted on the social media platforms of the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) on Wednesday.
Dr Hana Khudair Saleh, Community Medicine specialist at the PHCC, said more than 60% of children aged 12-15 years have been vaccinated, and no major side effects were reported.
"Children may also catch Covid-19 and pass the virus on to more vulnerable family members," she said. "The Delta variant is more transmissible and causes more severe symptoms than other strains. So, it is important for children to get vaccinated and protected."
She said: "With schools due to start their new year at the end of August, it is important that as many children as possible are vaccinated in order to ensure a safe school environment. Please contact your primary healthcare centre to make an appointment for your child to get the vaccine, or make an appointment via the PHCC mobile app."
The MoPH yesterday reported that a total of 4,179,382 Covid-19 vaccine doses have been administered in Qatar since the start of the National Covid-19 Vaccination Programme.
A break-up of the vaccination data showed that 91.3% of the eligible population (12 years and above) have received at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, while 78.7% have got both doses. Also, 79.2% of the total population have got at least one dose of the vaccine, with 68.3% receiving both doses.
Meanwhile, Dr Yousef al-Maslamani, medical director of Hamad General Hospital, told Qatar TV yesterday that the Covid-19 precautionary and preventive measures to be followed in schools when classes resume for the new academic year will comprise the usual procedures implemented in the country for all to curb any potential spread of the virus.
Schools will resume with the blended learning system in place, with 50% of students physically attending classes while the remaining studying remotely from home. This will be done a rotation basis as a precautionary measure to ensure the protection of students’ health and safety, he stressed.
The other measures include the wearing of facemasks during school hours by staff members, teachers and students, showing the green status on the Ehteraz app (for designated persons as many students do not have the app), measuring the body temperature before being allowed inside the school, and maintaining a safe physical distance among all individuals present inside the school (at least 1.5m).
Further, parents and other family members who drop children to school, or pick them up, should also display the green status on Ehteraz.
On Tuesday, the Ministry of Education and Higher Education had announced its decision to adopt the blended education system for the 2021/2022 academic year. The rotation attendance will be followed on campus for government schools, starting on August 29, while the same will be done for private schools and kindergartens according to their academic calendars.
The situation will be continuously monitored and assessed in direct co-ordination with the MoPH. The decision is based on the updated indicators published by the Ministry of Public Health on the Covid-19 pandemic and in line with the precautionary measures set by the State to contain the spread of infection.
This was highlighted through a video message posted on the social media platforms of the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) on Wednesday.
Dr Hana Khudair Saleh, Community Medicine specialist at the PHCC, said more than 60% of children aged 12-15 years have been vaccinated, and no major side effects were reported.
"Children may also catch Covid-19 and pass the virus on to more vulnerable family members," she said. "The Delta variant is more transmissible and causes more severe symptoms than other strains. So, it is important for children to get vaccinated and protected."
She said: "With schools due to start their new year at the end of August, it is important that as many children as possible are vaccinated in order to ensure a safe school environment. Please contact your primary healthcare centre to make an appointment for your child to get the vaccine, or make an appointment via the PHCC mobile app."
The MoPH yesterday reported that a total of 4,179,382 Covid-19 vaccine doses have been administered in Qatar since the start of the National Covid-19 Vaccination Programme.
A break-up of the vaccination data showed that 91.3% of the eligible population (12 years and above) have received at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, while 78.7% have got both doses. Also, 79.2% of the total population have got at least one dose of the vaccine, with 68.3% receiving both doses.
Meanwhile, Dr Yousef al-Maslamani, medical director of Hamad General Hospital, told Qatar TV yesterday that the Covid-19 precautionary and preventive measures to be followed in schools when classes resume for the new academic year will comprise the usual procedures implemented in the country for all to curb any potential spread of the virus.
Schools will resume with the blended learning system in place, with 50% of students physically attending classes while the remaining studying remotely from home. This will be done a rotation basis as a precautionary measure to ensure the protection of students’ health and safety, he stressed.
The other measures include the wearing of facemasks during school hours by staff members, teachers and students, showing the green status on the Ehteraz app (for designated persons as many students do not have the app), measuring the body temperature before being allowed inside the school, and maintaining a safe physical distance among all individuals present inside the school (at least 1.5m).
Further, parents and other family members who drop children to school, or pick them up, should also display the green status on Ehteraz.
On Tuesday, the Ministry of Education and Higher Education had announced its decision to adopt the blended education system for the 2021/2022 academic year. The rotation attendance will be followed on campus for government schools, starting on August 29, while the same will be done for private schools and kindergartens according to their academic calendars.
The situation will be continuously monitored and assessed in direct co-ordination with the MoPH. The decision is based on the updated indicators published by the Ministry of Public Health on the Covid-19 pandemic and in line with the precautionary measures set by the State to contain the spread of infection.