Qatar lifts more Covid-19 restrictions; mask requirement eased

Doha: The Prime Minister and Minister of Interior HE Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al-Thani chaired the Cabinet's regular meeting held at its seat at the Amiri Diwan on Wednesday. And after reviewing the report of the Supreme Committee for Crisis Management regarding the plan to gradually lift the restrictions imposed as a result of the Corona pandemic, and in the interest of the health and safety of all members of society, it decided the following: The decisions will come into effect from Sunday, October 3, 2021. First: 1)    All government and private sector employees can work from their workplace. 2- To allow meetings in government and private sectors with no more than 30 people. 3- Continuing to oblige all employees and workers in the public and private sectors, , who are not fully vaccinated, to conduct a rapid test for the Corona virus (Rapid Antigen) approved by the Ministry of Public Health, on a weekly basis.  4- Obligating all citizens, residents and visitors to wear masks in closed public places, and not obligating them to wear masks in open public places except in the following cases: - Presence in organized public activities in markets, exhibitions, and during events. - Presence on 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 phones 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 persons who are fully vaccinated or a maximum of 5 people if all or one of them did not complete or did not receive doses of the Covid-19 vaccine, in closed places in homes and majlises. B- The presence of a maximum of 50 people who are fully vaccinated or a maximum of 10 people, if all or one of them did not complete or did not receive vaccine doses, in open spaces in homes and majlises. 8) Allow wedding parties in wedding halls in hotels and independent wedding halls only: A- No more than 30% of the capacity of the closed wedding hall and a maximum of 250 people, and the number of people who are not vaccinated shall not exceed 20 people within the percentage or maximum allowed. B- No more than 50% of the capacity of the open wedding hall and a maximum of 400 people, and the number of people who are not vaccinated should not exceed 50 people within the percentage or maximum allowed. In all cases, those who are not fully vaccinated, including children aged six years and older, must take the Rapid Antigen test approved by the Ministry of Public Health. 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, and it is allowed to practice individual sports such as walking, running and cycling, and allowing the opening of playgrounds and sports equipment in those places, and allowing the opening of beaches. Allow opening of toilets in parks specified by the Ministry of Municipality and Environment. 10- Continuing to oblige all citizens, residents and visitors when leaving and moving for any reason, not to have more than four people in the vehicle, including the driver of the vehicle, with the exception of family members residing in the same house when leaving and moving vehicles. 11- Bus capacity to not exceed 75% of the capacity. 12- Metro and public transport services with capacity not exceeding 75% throughout the week, while continuing to close places designated for smoking and not allowing food and drink in the aforementioned 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% or more of the trainees have completed the COVID-19 vaccine doses. B- A capacity not exceeding 75%, if the percentage of trainees who are vaccinated is less than 75% of the total number of trainees. In all cases, all employees who work in the school must be fully vaccinated, with the obligation of all trainees who are not vaccinated to take the Rapid Antigen test. 14- To allow the opening of theaters and cinemas not exceeding 50% of the capacity, provided that 75% of the customers are fully vaccinated and allowing entry of children under 12 years of age and counting them within the 25% allowed for those who are not vaccinated. 15- To allow educational centers and private training centers to provide their services with a capacity not exceeding 75% and a full capacity if 75% or more of the total number of trainees are vaccinated, provided that all the trainers are vaccinated, with the trainees who are not vaccinated to undergo rapid antigen test. 16- Continuing to allow the opening of nurseries and the provision of their services not exceeding 75% of the capacity, provided that all workers are vaccinated. 17- Allowing the opening of museums and public libraries with a full capacity. 18- To allow educational sessions to be held in centers designated for people with special needs, with no more than 5 people in one session, provided that all trainers are vaccinated. 19- Continuing to allow professional sports training, whether indoors or outdoors, and to allow preparatory training for local and international tournaments approved by the Ministry of Public Health, and to allow amateur training according to the following: A- Training of age groups from 18 years and under, with a maximum of 40 people in open spaces and 30 people in closed places, who are vaccinated, with trainees who are not vaccinated to conduct a rapid Antigen test, while not allowing the public to attend. B- Training children in private clubs with a maximum of 35 people in open spaces who are fully vaccinated, and a maximum of 25 people in closed spaces who are fully vaccinated, with trainees who are not fully vaccinated to take Rapid Antigen. 20- Continuing to allow the organization of local and international sporting events after obtaining the approval of the Ministry of Public Health, and allowing the presence of no more than 75% of the capacity of the public in open spaces, provided that among that percentage 90% of the public who are fully vaccinated, and allowing no more than 50% of the public’s capacity to be in closed places, provided that 90% of the public have completed doses of the Covid-19 vaccine, with obligating those who have not completed or they did not receive doses of the (Covid-19) vaccine by conducting the rapid test for Corona virus (Rapid Antigen) approved by the Ministry of Public Health.

To be continued. please check back for more updates.....