COVID-19: Qatar vaccinates kids aged 5 against COVID-19

Cairo: Qatar has started offering optional vaccination against COVID-19 to children aged from five to 11 years, saying the inoculation is necessary to protect them from the disease after a recent spike in the country.

The Ministry of Public Health said latest local and international studies have proved that the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine is safe and effective for this age group. One third of the normal dose of the vaccine is provided for this category of children.

“This step is very important for protecting children of this age group against risks of COVID-19 as the current wave of infections with the spread of the highly contagious Omicron variant has witnessed an infection of large numbers of children,” the ministry added in a statement.

Citing an ongoing wave of the highly transmissible Omicron, the ministry urged parents in the country to get their children in the five-11 age groups vaccinated against COVID-19 to enhance their immunity.

The inoculation for them is offered on an optional basis in two doses, with three weeks in-between.