Masks a must in public places

QNA Doha The Cabinet has made masks mandatory in all closed and open public places, with the exception of people who play sports in open places. The decis...

QNADohaThe Cabinet has made masks mandatory in all closed and open public places, with the exception of people who play sports in open places. The decision will come into force from Friday (Dec. 31) until further notice.The Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister and Minister of Interior HE Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al Thani, took the decision on Wednesday.The Cabinet reviewed the report of the Ministry of Public Health on the latest developments to limit the COVID-19 spread and the report of the Supreme Committee for Crisis Management in this regard. The Cabinet affirmed the continuation of the precautionary measures that have been taken to combat the pandemic.In the interest of the health and safety of all members of society, the Cabinet decided to continue to allow the organization of conferences, exhibitions and events in accordance with the following:1) A capacity not exceeding 75 percent in open spaces.2) A capacity not exceeding 50 percent in closed spaces, provided that 90 percent of the participants have completed doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, while those that did not must conduct a PCR or Rapid Antigen Test approved by the Ministry of Public Health.In all cases, prior approval from the Ministry of Public Health is required before holding any conference, exhibition or event.The Cabinet said compliance with the health requirements, procedures, precautionary measures and controls determined by the Ministry of Public Health shall be taken into consideration.The Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Public Health, and other government agencies, each within its jurisdiction, shall take the necessary measures in this regard, to ensure compliance with the health requirements and prescribed precautionary measures.Moreover, the Cabinet condemned Israel’s continuation of its settlement policy in the occupied Palestinian territories and the occupied Syrian Golan and its blatant defiance of international law and relevant international legitimacy resolutions.The Cabinet affirmed that the Israeli government’s decision on Sunday to expand settlements in the occupied Syrian Golan, in addition to the approval of the Israeli authorities to build 1,300 settlement units in the occupied West Bank, and the escalation of attacks by the Israeli occupation forces and settler militias against Palestinian citizens in the occupied West Bank constitute dangerous development.The Cabinet called for urgent and decisive intervention by the international community to protect the Palestinian people, stop settlements and put pressure on the Israeli government to revive the peace process in accordance with the resolutions of the UN General Assembly, the UN Security Council and the Arab Peace Initiative, and on the basis of the two-state solution, which leads to the end of the Israeli occupation and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the June 4, 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.The Cabinet then approved Qatar Tourism’s proposal to participate in the membership of USA Tour Operators Association (USTOA) and the US Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA).Qatar Tourism aims to organise and develop the tourism and hospitality industry, motivate the private sector to invest in it, work on improving the tourism experience in the country, enhancing it and showing the civilized, cultural, artistic and tourism features of the country, and cooperating in all activities and services with entities operating in the tourism and hospitality sector within the country.The Cabinet also approved a draft decision of the Minister of Justice to renew the membership of the Real Estate Registration Committee.Decision will come into effect from Friday