* It will help to raise immunity against tetanus, diphtheria, whooping cough
The Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) has announced the launch of the annual vaccination campaign against tetanus, diphtheria and whooping cough (Tdap), starting from mid-March, in co-operation with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education and the Primary Health Care Corporation.
This year, the campaign aims to vaccinate students of grades 10 and 11 in private and public schools in Qatar.
Dr Hamad Eid al-Rumaihi, director of the Health Protection and Communicable Diseases Control Department at the Ministry of Public Health, said: "The implementation of the annual vaccination campaign against tetanus, diphtheria and whooping cough (Tdap) aims to enhance the immunity of male and female students, and the World Health Organisation recommends that the vaccination against the three diseases should be taken every 10 years as a booster dose."
He noted that this comes within the framework of the periodic vaccination for adolescents and within the national immunisation schedule in Qatar.
Dr al-Rumaihi said Qatar does not suffer from the spread of tetanus, diphtheria and whooping cough, which is attributed to the high vaccination coverage. However, he emphasised that attention should be paid to the seriousness of the three diseases targeted by the vaccine, which may cause severe complications, including death or total disability of the person infected with any of them.
The campaign is implemented annually and targets Grade 10 students but was postponed last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic in the country and the whole world. Accordingly, it was decided that the target group this year would include students of both grades 10 and 11, the MoPH said in a statement yesterday.
The Ministry of Public Health has called on guardians and parents of students to urge their children to receive the Tdap vaccination, as it has a profound impact on promoting their health and preventing diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough. It is part of the periodic vaccinations for adolescents and within the series of basic vaccines found in the immunisation schedule in Qatar.
This year, the campaign aims to vaccinate students of grades 10 and 11 in private and public schools in Qatar.
Dr Hamad Eid al-Rumaihi, director of the Health Protection and Communicable Diseases Control Department at the Ministry of Public Health, said: "The implementation of the annual vaccination campaign against tetanus, diphtheria and whooping cough (Tdap) aims to enhance the immunity of male and female students, and the World Health Organisation recommends that the vaccination against the three diseases should be taken every 10 years as a booster dose."
He noted that this comes within the framework of the periodic vaccination for adolescents and within the national immunisation schedule in Qatar.
Dr al-Rumaihi said Qatar does not suffer from the spread of tetanus, diphtheria and whooping cough, which is attributed to the high vaccination coverage. However, he emphasised that attention should be paid to the seriousness of the three diseases targeted by the vaccine, which may cause severe complications, including death or total disability of the person infected with any of them.
The campaign is implemented annually and targets Grade 10 students but was postponed last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic in the country and the whole world. Accordingly, it was decided that the target group this year would include students of both grades 10 and 11, the MoPH said in a statement yesterday.
The Ministry of Public Health has called on guardians and parents of students to urge their children to receive the Tdap vaccination, as it has a profound impact on promoting their health and preventing diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough. It is part of the periodic vaccinations for adolescents and within the series of basic vaccines found in the immunisation schedule in Qatar.
