The first cases of the Omicron Covid-19 variant have been detected in Qatar, the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) said Monday.
With early evidence indicating that Omicron is the most highly transmissible variant to date, it is important that all members of the community play their part in the ongoing fight against Covid-19, the MoPH tweeted.
Dr Soha al-Bayat, head of vaccination at the Ministry of Public Health said the newly reported four cases of Omicron variant, were found when the routine tests were conducted in people who returned to the country from abroad. They had been vaccinated with two doses but more than six months had passed since the last dose was taken. However, they are in good health and undergoing the necessary quarantine with no need to be admitted to the hospital as they have only mild and manageable symptoms, she said.
Dr Soha al-Bayat told Qatar TV Monday that the rise of Covid-19 cases in the recent period could be mainly attributed to people not abiding by the precautionary and preventive measures, especially wearing face masks wherever applicable. She noted that many people have stopped maintaining social and physical distancing and started to shake hands and hug each other in the traditional way, and talk and sit close to each other without wearing masks, which cause an increase in the daily numbers of Covid-19 infections.
She also stressed that people should only take their information from the specialists and official sources to avoid spreading baseless rumors. She further stressed the importance of taking the full two doses of the Covid-19 vaccine and the third booster dose for those qualified, as scientific studies have proven that the acquired immunity against Covid-19 drops considerably after the passage of six months from the second dose.
In the meantime, she pointed out that the three doses are of the same vaccine and have the same mild side effects, if any. Further, she emphasised that no deaths have resulted from the vaccine in Qatar and there was no one admitted at the Intensive Care Unit in the country due to the administration of vaccines. It has been proven effective and safe locally and globally, she explained.
She also observed that the complications from the seasonal flu and bronchitis had dropped considerably with very few patients reporting to the hospital as long as the residents wore face masks. "However, when masks started to be dropped, the number of cases increased again."
With early evidence indicating that Omicron is the most highly transmissible variant to date, it is important that all members of the community play their part in the ongoing fight against Covid-19, the MoPH tweeted.
Dr Soha al-Bayat, head of vaccination at the Ministry of Public Health said the newly reported four cases of Omicron variant, were found when the routine tests were conducted in people who returned to the country from abroad. They had been vaccinated with two doses but more than six months had passed since the last dose was taken. However, they are in good health and undergoing the necessary quarantine with no need to be admitted to the hospital as they have only mild and manageable symptoms, she said.
Dr Soha al-Bayat told Qatar TV Monday that the rise of Covid-19 cases in the recent period could be mainly attributed to people not abiding by the precautionary and preventive measures, especially wearing face masks wherever applicable. She noted that many people have stopped maintaining social and physical distancing and started to shake hands and hug each other in the traditional way, and talk and sit close to each other without wearing masks, which cause an increase in the daily numbers of Covid-19 infections.
She also stressed that people should only take their information from the specialists and official sources to avoid spreading baseless rumors. She further stressed the importance of taking the full two doses of the Covid-19 vaccine and the third booster dose for those qualified, as scientific studies have proven that the acquired immunity against Covid-19 drops considerably after the passage of six months from the second dose.
In the meantime, she pointed out that the three doses are of the same vaccine and have the same mild side effects, if any. Further, she emphasised that no deaths have resulted from the vaccine in Qatar and there was no one admitted at the Intensive Care Unit in the country due to the administration of vaccines. It has been proven effective and safe locally and globally, she explained.
She also observed that the complications from the seasonal flu and bronchitis had dropped considerably with very few patients reporting to the hospital as long as the residents wore face masks. "However, when masks started to be dropped, the number of cases increased again."
