Experts call for equitable access to Covid vaccines to all countries
26 Feb 2021 - 11:50
The Peninsula
Returning to “normal” life amid the COVID-19 pandemic will only happen if every single person in the world makes it their responsibility, health experts said at a global online audience as Qatar Foundation’s Education City Speaker Series explored whether new vaccines can point the way to victory over the virus. In a virtual discussion titled An Injection of Hope: Do Vaccines Mean an End to the Pandemic Is in Sight? hosted in collaboration with the World Innovation Summit for Health, Qatar Foundation’s global healthcare initiative WHO representatives and leaders of public health and vaccine science emphasised that all of global society must play an “active role” in defeating COVID-19 not only by being vaccinated, but by continuing to follow health guidelines even after they have received a vaccine.
As Qatar continues to expand its National COVID-19 Vaccination Campaign, the country is targeting to vaccinate 90 percent of the eligible population by the end of this year.
Chair of the National Health Strategic Group on COVID-19 and Head of Infectious Diseases at Hamad Medical Corporation Dr Abdullatif Al Khal mentioned this during a virtual panel session entitled ‘An Injection of Hope: Do Vaccines Mean an End to the Pandemic Is in Sight?’
The session was part of the Education City Speaker Series held jointly with the World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH).
“We aim to cover up to 90 percent of the eligible population before the end of the year. This means we have to vaccinate more than 100,000 people a week,” Dr Al Khal said.
24 Feb 2021 - 16:30
Dr Abdullatif Al Khal
Fazeena Saleem | The Peninsula
Doha: Qatar aims to vaccinate at least 90 percent of the eligible population by the end of the year and has taken several initiatives to boost the national COVID-19 vaccination campaign, said a senior official.
“We aim to cover about 90 percent of the eligible population before the end of the year,” said Chair of the National Health Strategic Group on COVID-19 and Head of Infectious Diseases at Hamad Medical Corporation Dr Abdullatif Al Khal.
He said that this will be implemented while taking effective public health measures, like screening and isolating people suspected to have or exposed to COVID-19.
Viewers using Microsoft Teams can watch the event with English, Arabic, French, Spanish, and Italian subtitles. the discussion will also be streamed live on QF’s Facebook page, YouTube channel, and Twitter feed.
Health experts from Qatar and around the world will focus on the hopes and fears surrounding COVID-19 vaccines, and how the pandemic may unfold in 2021, as Qatar Foundation s Education City Speaker Series returns. In collaboration with the World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH), the platform for conversations on the major topics affecting the world will