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Coronavirus pandemic

Qatar talks COVID vaccination one year ahead of FIFA World Cup

Currently, the vaccines approved by the Ministry of Public Health of Qatar include Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, and Johnson&Johnson

MOSCOW, November 21. /TASS/. The organizers of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar will take into account the epidemiological situation around the world approaching the issue of approved vaccines needed to visit the country, CEO of the FIFA World Cup Qatar organizing committee Nasser Al-Khater said during a round table over Zoom.

"It is difficult to predict what the situation is going to be like one year from today. The majority of vaccines are accepted in Qatar. We are in constant discussion with the World Health Organization when it comes to the World Cup in 2022. I think a lot of it will depend on the landscape around the world and where we are globally with the coronavirus," he said responding to a question from TASS about what vaccines are planned to be approved for the fans to attend the 2022 World Cup.

Currently, the vaccines approved by the Ministry of Public Health of Qatar include Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, and Johnson&Johnson. In October, the Russian Sputnik V and the Chinese company Sinovac were added to the list of conditionally approved vaccines. A conditionally approved vaccine status means that individuals who receive two doses of the drug, and then, after at least 14 days, one dose of vaccine from Pfizer and its BioNTech or Moderna, will be considered fully vaccinated. In addition, all individuals vaccinated with two conditionally approved drugs need to pass a blood test to detect antibodies to coronavirus before traveling to Qatar.

Al-Khater also announced that the construction of all arenas that will host the tournament's matches have been completed. "I am happy to announce that with one year to go, all stadiums are complete. Major work stop, Lusail as a stadium is complete, there are just some surrounding areas that require some sort of paving. But the stadium itself is complete. So I am happy to announce that all eight stadiums for the World Cup are complete," Al-Khater said.

2022 FIFA World Cup

Qatar is set to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup between November 21 and December 18 at eight stadiums in seven cities across the country, namely in Doha, Lusail, Al Wakrah, Al Khor, Al Rayyan, Umm Salal, and Madinat ash Shamal.

Qatar won the right to host the matches of the 2022 FIFA World Cup on December 2, 2010.

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