Stricter COVID curbs from Friday

QNA Doha Qatar has reimposed stricter restrictions to curb the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) and safeguard the health and wellbeing of society. The deci...

QNADohaQatar has reimposed stricter restrictions to curb the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) and safeguard the health and wellbeing of society. The decision will come into effect from Friday (April 9).The measures came after the Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister and Minister of Interior HE Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al Thani, on Wednesday listened to the explanation provided by HE Minister of Public Health on the latest developments to limit the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19). As per the decision, no more than 50 percent of the total number of employees in both the government and privates sector will be allowed to work from their workplace, while the remaining employees will work remotely from their homes. However, this decision does not include the military, security and health sectors.The Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI), in coordination with the authorities concerned, will determine the necessary activities that are excluded from this decision.All meetings for employees and workers in government and private sectors at workplaces must be held remotely using modern mean of technology. In case of necessity, the meeting shall be held with a number of people not exceeding 5 by taking all precautionary measures.All citizens and residents are required to wear masks when leaving the house for any reason, unless the person is present by himself while driving the vehicle. People must activate Eheteraz application on smartphones when leaving the house for any reason.Mosques will continue to open for performing daily duties and Friday prayers. However, Tarawih prayers will be performed during the holy month of Ramadan at home. Children under 12 years old are not allowed to enter, while adhering to the precautionary measures set by the Ministry of Public Health and the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs. Toilets and ablution facilities will continue to remain closed.The Cabinet decided to prevent social gatherings and visits in closed places in homes and councils. A maximum of five people are allowed in open spaces, including those who have completed both the doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.As per the decision, winter camps must allow in only family members who live in the same house. The Cabinet also decided not to hold weddings in closed or open spaces until further notice.Gathering or sitting in public parks, beaches and the Corniche has been banned. Individual sports such as walking, running and cycling is allowed. Playgrounds and sports equipment in those places will continue to remain closed.A maximum of four people, including the driver, are allowed to travel in a vehicle, with the exception of family members residing in the same house when leaving and moving in vehicles.The Cabinet decided to continue with the decision to reduce the number of people transported by buses to half the capacity, while taking precautionary measures.Doha Metro will operate at a maximum 20 percent capacity, while stopping operation on Fridays and Saturdays. Reducing the capacity for operating public transport services by no more than 20 percent, with stopping the operation of those services in some lines and stopping operation on Fridays and Saturdays, taking into account the closure of places designated for smoking, and not allowing food and drink to be consumed in the aforementioned transport.Driving schools will continue to be closed. Theaters and cinemas will remain closed.Private educational and training centres will provide their services through remote communication programmes only.Nurseries, public museums and libraries will remain closed.Individual educational sessions will be allowed in centres designated for people with special needs, while adhering to special requirements set by the Ministry of Public Health. The Cabinet decided to continue with the decision not to allow the training of sports teams, whether in closed or open spaces, with the exception of preparatory training for local and international tournaments approved by the Ministry of Public Health. Obtaining prior approval from the Ministry of Public Health to organise local and international sporting events is a must.All the exhibitions, conferences and various events have been postponed.Commercial complexes will operate at a maximum capacity of 30 percent. Children under 16 years old are not allowed to enter these complexes. All prayer areas in these complexes will remain closed. All food courts inside the commercial complexes will remain closed. However, they will be allowed to make home deliveries and pickup orders.The Cabinet decided not to allow restaurants and cafes to serve food and drinks indoor or in open spaces and allow them to serve food and drinks via pickup orders or to deliver them inside the restaurant or cafe.Rental services of boats, tourist yachts and pleasure boats will remain suspended, with the exception of rental services for family members residing in the same house, or the presence of a maximum of 5 persons who are not family members, provided that they have completed both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.Traditional markets will operate at a maximum 30 percent capacity. Children under 16 years old are not allowed to enter. These markets will remain closed on Fridays and Saturdays.Wholesale markets will continue to operate at a maximum capacity of 30 percent. Children under 16 years are not allowed to enter.Beauty and hair salons will remain closed. Amusement parks and all entertainment centres will also remain shut.Health clubs, physical training clubs, massage services, saunas, steam rooms, jacuzzi services, and Moroccan and Turkish baths will remain closed.All swimming pools and water parks will also remain closed.The Cabinet decided to continue stopping non-urgent medical services in private health facilities, and allow any of these private health facilities to provide some of their medical services if possible through modern means of communication.Cleaning and hospitality companies are not allowed to provide their services during the working hours of the establishments contracted with them. However, they can provide their services at a full capacity outside the working hours of those facilities, and allowing the provision of their services at houses by one person only while adhering to the special requirements set by the Ministry of Public Health in coordination with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.The conditions and precautionary measures set by the Ministry of Public Health must be taken into consideration.The Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Public Health, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, and other governmental bodies are in charge of taking the necessary measures to ensure adherence to the precautionary measures, all within their powers and jurisdiction.Student attendance in all public and private universities, schools and kindergartens will continue to remain suspended. Current travel and return policy to Qatar will continue.The Cabinet called on all members of society, citizens and residents, to assume responsibility by adhering to precautionary measures and procedures and to avoid crowded places to maintain their safety, and to limit the spread of this pandemic so that none of them will be subject to the penalties stipulated in Decree-Law No (17) of 1990 regarding the prevention of infectious diseases, as amended by Law No (9) of 2020, by imprisonment for a period not exceeding three years and a fine not exceeding QR200,000, or one of these two penalties.After that, the Cabinet approved a draft law to issue a law on mediation in settling civil and commercial disputes, and to refer it to the Shura Council.It also approved the Minister of Education and Higher Education’s draft decision amending some provisions of Resolution No 13 of 2020 regarding the annual calendar of schools for the 2020/2021 academic year.Under the project provisions, the dates for the second round exams for all grades (first to twelfth - day and adult education) for the academic year 2020/2021, starting from 8/18/2021, until 8/26/2021. The start of employees’ attendance in schools for the academic year 2021-2022 starts from 8/16/2021. Students start school for the academic year 2021-2022 from 8/29/2021.The Cabinet also approved the renewing the term for appointing two judges for the Qatar International Court to the Qatar Financial Centre.It also approved the second executive programme draft agreement for educational and cultural cooperation between the government of Qatar and the government of China for the academic years (2021 / 2022-2022 / 2023-2023 / 2024).