Aspetar Sports Medicine and Orthopaedic Hospital has launched a free coronavirus vaccination campaign targeting registered athletes based in Qatar.

The campaign began on February 22 with the vaccination of 50 people, in continuation of the efforts made in Qatar to limit the spread of the virus, as the hospital, in consultation with the local health authorities, launched the vaccination program and became an approved center for vaccination for athletes in the country.

Aspetar CEO Dr Abdulaziz Al Kuwari said: "We are committed to meet the vaccination needs of registered athletes and our staff as soon as possible. Thanks to our dedicated team, as this campaign would not be possible without the support of their tireless work across Aspetar, and that includes the many clinical providers and operations support who planned and executed the campaign."

Head of Infection Prevention and Control Committee at Aspetar, Dr Yorck Olaf Schumacher said: " The vaccination will not only prevent the COVID19 disease in the vaccinated person but will also prevent its spread, i.e. a vaccinated person is highly unlikely to infect others. Thus, vaccinations are not only protecting the vaccinated persons but also the unvaccinated persons around them by reducing the circulation of the virus. Aspetar aims to vaccinate all Aspire Zone staff and all registered athletes and are currently focusing on the first and second division QSL/QFA clubs. The current vaccination plan already includes more than 2000 people."

Dr Schumacher added: "We will hopefully have completed the course of two doses for all Aspire Zone staff and the Qatar stars league and QFA by the end of March. As of March 4th we have already vaccinated most of Aspetar AZF staff and about 650 athletes, We currently have a capacity of around 120 vaccinations a day, which we are aiming to increase to more than 150 in the coming days."

The Aspetar COVID19 response team, which already successfully planned and implemented the COVID-19 testing program for QSL is in charge again, and athletes will be contacted and scheduled by the medical staff of their club.

(QNA)