The Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) in the State of Qatar has approved the administration of "Pfizer-BioNTech" Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines for children aged 5 to 11 years.
MOPH explained that this approval is in line with the recent local and global studies that have demonstrated the safety and efficacy of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in this age group, as well as the clinical evidence from countries around the world which have already begun vaccinating children aged 5 to 11 years. The vaccine is one third of the dose of that used for older age groups and is associated with only mild side effects.
The Ministry made clear that this is a very important move to ensure that children of this age are protected against COVID-19. In the light of the current wave with the outbreak of the Omicron variant that has severe infection, great numbers of children have been infected and some of these cases required medical care compared to the previous waves of COVID-19, as the Ministry said.
In view of the ongoing Omicron variant in the State of Qatar, MOPH has called upon parents and guardians to ensure that their children aged 5 to 11 years will receive the COVID-19 vaccine to increase their immunity against such virus.
Source: Government of Qatar