People aged 60 or older and the chronically ill urged to take COVID-19 vaccine as soon as possible
Qatar’s Minister of Public Health Dr Hanan Mohamed Al Kuwari has urged the public to get vaccinated as soon as they have the opportunity, in particular, the elderly (aged 60 and above) and those who have chronic conditions, to reduce the risk of chronic COVID-19 syndrome.
This segment of the community is included in the current priority group for the COVID-19 vaccine under the first phase of Qatar’s National COVID-19 Vaccination Campaign.
HE the Minister emphasized this following her visit to the Post-COVID Inpatient Unit at the Qatar Rehabilitation Institute (QRI).
The unit offers a holistic program to patients who experience more severe COVID-19 symptoms to aid their recovery.
HE Dr Hanan met with two patients who are presently receiving care at QRI after episodes of severe COVID-19.
According to a press statement by Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), the patients’ “prolonged illness and severity of symptoms has led to the patients experiencing reduced lung capacity and muscle atrophy resulting in decreased endurance.”
After months of receiving care in the hospital, including periods in intensive care on a ventilator, the patients “now require extensive rehabilitation to build their strength and regain mobility function,” the statement adds.
Expressing her joy as the patients are now recovering, HE the Minister underlined, “While the majority of patients recover well from the COVID-19 infection, there are some who have significant long-term health consequences.
“To reduce the risk of chronic COVID-19 syndrome, we urge the public to get vaccinated as soon as they have the opportunity to do so, particularly those who are 60 or older and those with chronic health conditions as they are more at risk of serious illness from this disease.”
She also emphasized that anyone who experiences COVID-19 symptoms must go to their healthcare facility or contact MoPH on 16000 to prevent their health condition from getting worse.
The HMC statement further shed light on the impact of COVID-19 on certain people, particularly those who have been in the ICU due to the illness.
These patients can experience post-intensive care syndrome (PICS), which means having health problems that could last after discharge from the ICU.
Qatar national lead for Healthy Ageing and medical director at the QRI, Dr Hanadi Al Hamad, highlighted that post-COVID patients often face key challenges during their treatment period.
“In line with findings from around the world, we have experienced that patients with severe COVID-19 symptoms are more likely to experience ongoing general body weakness, cognitive or brain dysfunction, and even mental health conditions after they have recovered from the initial COVID-19 infection. This is especially prevalent for patients who have been in a coma in an ICU.”
“The timeliness of this facility has benefited several post-COVID-19 patients who have relied on professional rehabilitation to help them recover their mobility following a protracted period of illness with more severe symptoms,” she mentioned.
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