MoPH lowers age threshold for COVID-19 vaccine

The lower age limit for those who are eligible to take the COVID-19 vaccine in Qatar has been brought down to 40 from 50.

"The Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) announced that the age limit for those who meet the criteria for obtaining vaccination against Coronavirus (Covid-19) has been reduced to 40 years," , the Hamad Medical Corporation tweeted on Tuesday.

More than 765,000 doses have been administered since the start of the campaign to older people, those with chronic conditions, healthcare workers and other key essential workers, MOPH added.
The lowering of the age threshold for vaccine eligibility to 40 years means the current priority groups for COVID-19 vaccinations are as follows:

1) People aged 40 years of age and above regardless of their health conditions
2) People with moderate chronic medical conditions
3) Additional healthcare professionals and other key workers in different ministries and industries, including teachers and administration staff in education

Since the start of the pandemic it is the elderly who have been most at risk from severe complications, but in this second wave of the virus the healthcare system is now seeing younger people becoming sick and needing medical care. Lowering the age limit to 40 years will enable this age group to get vaccinated and reduce their risk.

Citizens and residents within these priority groups will be contacted by text messages and telephone calls from a PHCC health professional to arrange their vaccination appointment.