June 21, 2021: The prime minister said Qatar would only allow those to be fully vaccinated against COVD 19 in next year’s World Cup and is in talks to secure 1 million doses in the event of a delay in global immunization efforts.
The Gulf Arab state is hosting a four-week tournament in November 2022, and the president of the world football body FIFA has said the matches will be played in packed stadiums.
Prime Minister Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al Thanawi told reporters that while most countries were expected to vaccinate their citizens against the virsu, Qatar took steps to ensure a successful event.
“We are currently negotiating with a company to provide one million doses of COVID19 vaccines in order to immunize and vaccinate some of those coming to Qatar,” he said in remarks also carried by state news agency QNA late on Sunday, without identifying the firm.
It was not immediately clear how the vaccines would be offered. Most coronavirus vaccines require two doses weeks apart. Qatari officials had previously said they hoped to hold a coronavirus-free tournament and said vaccines would be made available to participants who had not yet been vaccinated.
According to the Reuters Covid19 tracker, Qatar is using Moderna and Pfizer vaccines and has administered at least 2.8 million doses, enough to inject about 50.8% of its population. Sheikh Khalid said that the 2021 Arab Cup, which is taking place in Doha in December, will show readiness to host major tournaments in Qatar.
He said that a large number of stadiums have been completed and work is underway on three stadiums, including Lusail Stadium, which will host the final match of the World Cup 2022 and is now 90 per cent complete.
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