Cabinet relaxes Covid restrictions including mask norms

HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al-Thani

HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al-Thani chaired the Cabinet's regular meeting held at its seat at the Amiri Diwan on Wednesday. The Cabinet decided to not to make wearing masks mandatory in outdoor places except where public activities like exhibitions, events are held, at markets and in the premises of mosques, schools, universities and hospitals. Wearing masks indoors will continue to be mandatory  for all citizens, residents and visitors. Following the meeting, HE the Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Sulaiti issued the following statement: The Cabinet listened to the explanation given by HE Minister of Public Health Dr. Hanan Mohamed Al Kuwari, on the latest developments to limit the Covid-19 spread and after reviewing the report of the Supreme Committee for Crisis Management regarding the plan to gradually lift the Covid-19 restrictions, and due to the keenness on the health and safety of all members of society, it has decided the following: First: 1- The continuation of all employees in the government sector to carry out their work at their place of work and allowing all employees in the private sector to carry out their work at their place of work. 2- Continuing to allow meetings to be held for employees and workers in the government and private sectors who are present at their workplace in the presence of no more than 30 persons, who have completed the Covid-19 vaccine doses provided that the rest of the meetings will be held via videoconferencing. 3- Continuing to oblige all employees and workers in the public and private sectors to conduct a Covid-19 rapid test (Rapid Antigen) approved by the Ministry of Public Health, every week, for employees and workers who did not receive or complete the Covid-19 vaccine doses. Employees and workers who have completed the Covid-19 vaccine doses and those who have recovered from the disease are exempted from conducting this examination. 4- Obligating all citizens, residents and visitors to wear masks in all indoor places, and not obligating them to wear masks in outdoor places except in the following cases: - Presence within the public activities organized in the markets, exhibitions and during events. - Presence in the premises of mosques, schools, universities and hospitals. All workers in establishments, whose nature of work requires being in open spaces and communicating with customers, must wear masks during their work period. 5- Continuing to obligate all citizens, residents and visitors to activate the EHTERAZ application on smartphones when leaving the house for any reason. 6- Continuing to open mosques to perform daily duties and Friday prayers, and allow children to enter, while adhering to the precautionary measures determined by the Ministry of Public Health and the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs, and allowing the opening of toilets and ablution facilities in mosques determined by the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs. 7- Continuing to allow social gatherings in homes and majlises according to the following: A- The presence of a maximum of 30 people who have completed the Covid-19 vaccine doses or a maximum of 5 people that did not complete or receive the Covid-19 vaccine in closed places in homes and majlises, with the exception of family members residing in the same house. B- The presence of a maximum of 50 people who have completed the Covid-19 vaccine doses or a maximum of 5 people that did not complete or receive the Covid-19 vaccine in open spaces in homes and majlises, with the exception of family members residing in the same house. 8- Continuing to allow wedding parties to be held in wedding halls in hotels and independent wedding halls only, according to the following: A- The presence of not more than 30 percent of the capacity of the closed wedding hall, with a maximum of 150 people and that the number of people who did not complete or receive the Covid-19 vaccine should not exceed 20 people within the mentioned percentage. B- The presence of not more than 50 percent of the capacity of the open wedding hall, with a maximum of 300 people and that the number of people who did not complete or receive the Covid-19 vaccine should not exceed 50 people within the mentioned percentage. 9- Continuing to allow gatherings or sitting in public parks, beaches and the Corniche with a maximum of 30 people or family members residing in the same house, allowing to practice individual sports such as walking, running and cycling, allowing the opening of playgrounds and sports equipment in those places, allowing the opening of private beaches with a full capacity, and allowing the opening of toilets in the parks specified by the Ministry of Municipality. 10- Continuing to oblige all citizens, residents and visitors to a maximum of four people in the vehicle, including the driver of the vehicle, when leaving and moving for any reason, with the exception of family members residing in the same house. 11- Continuing to allow people to be transported by buses not to exceed 75 percent of the bus's capacity, while taking precautionary measures. 12- Continuing the operation of metro services and public transport services, not exceeding 75 percent of the capacity throughout the week, with the continued closure of places designated for smoking and not allowing food and drink in the mentioned means of transport. 13- Continuing to allow the opening of driving schools and the provision of their services, according to the following: A- A full capacity if 75 percent or more of the total number of trainees have completed doses of the Covid-19 vaccine. B- A capacity not exceeding 75 percent if the total percentage of trainees who have completed doses of the Covid-19 vaccine is less than 75 percent. In all cases, all employees must have completed doses of the Covid-19 vaccine, with the obligation of all trainees who have not completed or did not receive doses of the Covid-19 vaccine to undergo a rapid antigen test certified by the Ministry of Public Health. 14- Continuing to allow the opening of theaters and cinemas and the provision of their services not exceeding 50 percent of the capacity, provided that among that 75 percent of customers have completed doses of the Covid-19 vaccine, allowing children to enter under the age of 12 and counting them within the percentage of 25 percent allowed for those who did not complete or did not receive doses of the Covid-19 vaccine. 15- Educational centers and private training centers can continue to provide their services at a maximum 75 percent capacity and with full capacity if 75 percent of the trainees have completed doses of Covid-19 vaccine, with all the instructors working at these centers have completed the Covid-19 vaccine doses, while obligating trainees who did not receive or complete the doses of the Covid-19 vaccines to carry out a rapid antigen test accredited by the Ministry of Public Health. At the outset of the meeting, the Cabinet welcomed the results of the official talks session held by HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani with HE President of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping on Saturday, during His Highness' visit to Beijing, at the invitation of HE President Xi Jinping, to attend the opening of the 24th Winter Olympics. The Cabinet affirmed that the discussions of the Qatari-Chinese summit, which reviewed the close bilateral relations and discussed the latest developments in the region and the world, reflected the depth and strength of the two countries relations and the common desire to support and develop them in various fields and strengthen the strategic partnership between them for the benefit of the two friendly countries and peoples.