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Swab test for passengers on sixth day after arrival | The Ministry of Public Health

The Ministry of Public Health has clarified that passengers coming from low-risk countries will have to undergo a swab test on the sixth day after arriving in Doha. It said that Ehteraz status will be yellow till they complete their seven-day quarantine and get a negative result in the swab test.

“They (Passengers from low-risk countries) must perform a swab test on day six and their Ehteraz status will not turn green until day seven after the swab test has been performed and a negative result has been verified,” the Ministry said on its social media pages. “Please note that returning passengers cannot have the swab test earlier than day six,” the Ministry added.

The Ministry added that this process helps to reduce the risk of returning travellers bringing the virus back into Qatar and passing it on to other members of the community. In the latest list of low risk countries, the Ministry has included 41 countries.

As per the travel policy announced by the Government Communications Office, arrivals to Qatar from low-risk countries are required to take a COVID-19 test upon arrival at the airport, and to sign a formal pledge to adhere to quarantine at home for a week, noting that the traveller’s status on the Ehteraz application will be yellow, which means that they are required to quarantine.

If there are accredited COVID-19 testing centres in one of these low-risk countries, obtaining a COVID-19 free certificate from one of these centres exempts the traveller from taking the test at the airport on arrival in the country, provided that the date of obtaining the certificate does not exceed 48 hours before travelling.

These passengers are also required to undergo a seven day home quarantine upon arrival. If the result of a test done on the sixth day is positive, the traveller will be transferred to isolation, and if it is negative, the quarantine period ends at the end of that week and the traveller’s status on the Ehteraz application will change to green.

Source: thepeninsulaqatar

Qatar’s plans to ease COVID-19 restrictions in four phases beginning June 15, 2020

In a press conference held on the 8th of June 2020, Her Excellency Lolwah bint Rashid Al Khater, Official Spokesperson for the Supreme Committee for Crisis Management, announced Qatar’s plans to ease COVID-19 restrictions in four phases beginning June 15, 2020 (Phase 1) and Phase 4 by 1st of September.

The gradual lifting of lock-down restrictions:

• Qatar is one of the countries with the lowest number of COVID-19 deaths.
• Gradual lifting of restrictions will be carried out in the State of Qatar through 4 phases with all the necessary precautionary measures.
• Stringent assessment will be carried out during each Phase. Moving from one phase to other phase will be based on the indications measured during the assessment.
• Possible to re-impose restrictions or delay of moving to next phase in the event of non-compliance and if assessment indicators are negative

Four Phases of Gradual lifting of restrictions are as follows:

• Phase 1 – June 15
• Phase 2- July 1
• Phase 3 – August 1
• Phase 4 – September 1

HE @Lolwah_Alkhater, Official Spokesperson of the Supreme Committee for Crisis Management, announced #Qatar’s plans to ease #COVID19 restrictions in four phases beginning 15 June.https://t.co/3OExP5EXFL pic.twitter.com/dS7B01OfQb

— مكتب الاتصال الحكومي (@GCOQatar) June 8, 2020

• 16000 will also continue to provide a 24/7 call centre service for all enquiries in relation to the COVID-19. 
• Covid-19 helpline numbers of Indian Embassy Doha – 55647502 and 55667569 | Queries will be answered only by WhatsApp / SMS. Do not to communicate on these numbers for repatriation and consular service related queries.

Also Read:

Revised list of repatriation flights to India from Doha | June 2020 Schedule

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SWADES Skill Card: Skill mapping of overseas returning citizens by Government of India

EHTERAZ app update allows registration with visa number for non-QID holders

Register on the Indian Embassy website for repatriation before it is closed | Embassy of India, Doha

Download Ehteraz App:

EHTERAZ app update allows registration with visa number for non-QID holders

Qatar has made EHTERAZ Covid-19 tracking app installation compulsory for all citizens and residents when leaving the house for any reason.

Non-QID holders were not able to register on EHTERAZ app as it requires QID number to complete the registration. In a recent update on android version of EHTERAZ app (on Google Play Store) it allows non-QID holders (Business and Other Visit Visa Holders) to register using Visa information.

The new update has been rolled our only on Android version and it is expected to happen on iOS version as well very soon. Ehteraz app has two options to choose while registering – “Visa Registration” and “QID Registration”. Non-QID holders has to choose Visa option and then it ask for your Mobile Number, Visa Number and Nationality to get the verification pin.

Non-QID holders were not able to register on this app as it required QID number to complete the registration. In a recent update on android version of EHTERAZ (on Google Play Store) it allows non-QID holders (Business and Other Visit Visa Holders) to register using Visa information instead of QID number.

Many visitor who came on visit to Qatar and could travel to their home country couldn’t install Ehteraz app earlier without QID Number. This update is a great news for people who are on visit visa since the Ehteraz app is mandatory if someone wish to leave the house for any reason.

Now many establishments in Qatar including most supermarkets and banks check for green status before they allow customers inside.

Download Ehteraz App

Image Source: Google Android Play Store (Just for representation)

16000 will also continue to provide a 24/7 call centre service for all enquiries in relation to the COVID-19. 

Also Read:

Qatar eases some COVID-19 restrictions | Permitted working hours extended | 4 people allowed in a vehicle

His Excellency the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al Thani chaired the 22nd Cabinet meeting on 3rd June (Today) through video conferencing. During the meeting, Cabinet affirms the continuation of the precautionary measures taken to combat the epidemic. Following decisions have been taken during,

Permitted Working Hours: Effective from 4th of June (Thursday), permitted working hours for commercial and service activities will be from 7:00 am to 8:00 pm (Sunday to Thursday) with the exception of following activities

Outlets selling food products, consumer goods and subsidised supplies (hypermarkets, supermarkets and groceries) and shops selling fruits and vegetables.

• Pharmacies
• Factories
• Companies delivering orders through electronic apps
• Petroleum Stations and Car services
• Car Maintenance workshops affiliated with agencies
• Companies operating in the hospitality sector
• Telecommunications companies
• Maintenance Companies (electricity, plumbing and electronic services)
• Restaurants, Cafeterias and Cafe’s (Coffee Shops) that are allowed to deliver or hand over orders to customers outside the business place. However, restaurants and cafe’s located in malls are exempt from this decision, and are only allowed to process delivery orders. These outlets are prohibited from handing over orders to customers inside the premises
• Logistics services companies and freight firms operating in ports, airports and customs services.
• Contracting and Engineering companies (allowed to operate in constriction sites along with affiliated engineering offices)

Number of people in a vehicle: Cabinet increased the minimum number of people allowed in a vehicle from two to four (including the driver). Families are exempted from this decision.

Bus Transportation: The decision to reduce the number of people transported by buses to half the capacity will continue.

Cabinet agrees on a draft law that amends some provisions of law no. 14 of 2004, which comes in the framework of Qatar’s commitment to increase regulation of health requirements and specifications for workers’ housing, and to enhance the protections for workers’ financial rights.

Cabinet approved a draft Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for joint cooperation in the field of health between the government of the State of Qatar and the government of Ethiopia

Cabinet approved a multilateral Memorandum of Understanding on consultation and exchanging information between regulatory bodies of financial markets in Arab countries who are members of the Union of Arab Securities Authorities.

Cabinet amended its decision on determining the work hours of private sector employees present at their place of work from 7 am to 8 pm. #QNA

— Qatar News Agency (@QNAEnglish) June 3, 2020

Based on the decision of the Council of Ministers and within the framework of the preventive and precautionary measures taken in Qatar to contain the COVID-19 outbreak، permitted working hours for commercial and service activities have been specified #Qatar #YourSafetyIsMySafety pic.twitter.com/Hj6e8Clbmk

— وزارة التجارة والصناعة (@MOCIQatar) June 3, 2020

Source: Qatar News Agency & MoCI

Also Read:

SWADES Skill Card: Skill mapping of overseas returning citizens by Government of India

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Register on the Indian Embassy website for repatriation before it is closed | Embassy of India, Doha

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Government offices reopens on 31st May after Eid Al-Fitr holidays from 7 am to 1 pm: 20% of employees at offices & 80% to work remotely

Government offices in Qatar are scheduled to reopen from 31st May 2020, Sunday after Eid Al-Fitr holidays. As tweeted by ADLSAQa, starting from Sunday 31/05/2020 working hours in the Government sector offices will be from 7:00 am to 1:00 pm.

As a part of preventive and precautionary measures to fight against the spread of Coronavirus COVID-19, government offices will adhere to the decision to have 20% of total employees in the offices and the other 80% employees to work remotely from home.

نود تذكير الجميع بأوقات العمل في القطاع الحكومي وذلك اعتبارا من يوم الأحد الموافق 31/5/2020 من الساعة السابعة صباحاً الى الساعة الواحدة ظهراً مع الإلتزام بنسبة 20٪ من الموظفين في مواقع العمل و 80٪ من الموظفين بالعمل عن بُعد.

— وزارة التنمية والعمل (@ADLSAQa) May 28, 2020

Qatar has taken many measures to fights against the spread of deadly coronavirus, COVID-19. It includes,

Effective from May 22 until further notice it has been made compulsory for all citizens and residents are obligated to install the EHTERAZ app on smartphones when leaving the house for any reason.

The Ministry of Administrative Development, Labor, and Social Affairs stressed the need to continue adhering to the precautionary measures to prevent coronavirus (COVID-19) when the government sector returns to work on Sunday. #QNA

— Qatar News Agency (@QNAEnglish) May 28, 2020

Source: QNA / ADLSAQa

• 16000 will also continue to provide a 24/7 call centre service for all enquiries in relation to the COVID-19. 
• Covid-19 helpline numbers of Indian Embassy Doha – 55647502 and 55667569 | Queries will be answered only by WhatsApp / SMS. Do not to communicate on these numbers for repatriation and consular service related queries.

Also Read:

Residents and Citizens urged to stay at home as much as possible during Eid-Al-Fitr

The State of Qatar has taken many precautionary measures to ensure the safety of Citizens and Residents and to limit the spread of novel coronavirus, COVID-19.

Summary of Key messages delivered by Dr. Abdullatif Al Khal, Chair of the National Strategic Group on COVID-19 and Head of the Infectious Diseases Division at HMC during the press conference, held by Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) on May 21, 2020

• Throughout this month the number of new cases has gradually risen, and the State of Qatar is entering the peak stage of COVID-19.
• It is encouraging that the number of patients making full recovery from COVID-19 virus is also increasing each day and this week the total number of recovered cases passed 6,000.
• The number of daily recoveries is increasing in part due to new international guidelines on the time-frame for when patients are no longer contagious, meaning they can be safely discharged sooner.
• While the majority of patients with COVID-19 experience only mild symptoms, the State of Qatar is witnessing an increase in the number of patients with more severe symptoms.
• Throughout the past week, every day an average of 20 COVID-19 patients has been admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) due to serious complications.
• Eid is traditionally a time of the year when we socialize and celebrate with family and friends, but this year is going to be different.
• It is very important that citizens and expats stay at home and only go out when it is really required for a necessity and while doing so you should follow social and physical distancing measures.
• We are seeing many examples where the COVID-19 virus is rapidly spreading among the members of the same family, including examples where they do not share a household, due to families visiting each other and socializing during Ramadan.
• We all have a role to play in successfully overcoming this pandemic – we ask the public to work with the healthcare sector and play their part

Summary of Key messages delivered by Dr. Muna Al Maslamani (Communicable Disease Center Medical Director):

• Evidence from around the world shows that while anyone can become infected with COVID-19, people with chronic disease are more likely to develop severe symptoms if they get the virus.
• Data from Intensive Care Units at HMC shows that 49% of patients admitted to ICU with COVID-19 have one or more chronic health conditions.
• This is because chronic diseases can impair the immune system’s ability to fight off infection and leave the body more susceptible to severe symptoms.
• The symptoms and their severity differ from case to case for COVID-19 patients and indeed many patients are asymptomatic – meaning they display no symptoms at all.
• 94% of cases in the state of Qatar are mild or asymptomatic, 5% require hospitalization, and 1% are admitted in Intensive Care Units.
• We have been using plasma treatment for patients admitted to the Communicable Disease Center, with plasma from patients who have recovered from COVID-19.
• To date, more than 100 patients have received plasma from around 96 recovered donors and the team is seeing the number of donations from recovered patients rise each week.
• The most critically ill COVID-19 patients are currently being treated at the Intesive Care Units at Hazm Mebeireek General Hospital and severely ill COVID-19 patients often require mechanical ventilation. A small percentage – the most severely ill – will require extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) therapy.
• It is clear that COVID-19 affects people with chronic disease in a much more serious way than other people – and so it is extremely important for people with chronic disease to stay at home as much as possible and follow preventive measures to protect themselves from catching the virus.

Key messages of the Ministry of Public Health’s press conference on COVID-19#YourSafetyIsMySafety pic.twitter.com/VZ82labmF1

— وزارة الصحة العامة (@MOPHQatar) May 20, 2020

Source: MoPH Qatar

16000 will also continue to provide a 24/7 call centre service for all enquiries in relation to the COVID-19. 

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Also Read:

New precautionary measures | EHTERAZ app installation on smartphones now mandatory when leaving the house for any reason

The State of Qatar has taken many precautionary measures to ensure the safety of Citizens and Expats to fight against the spread of deadly coronavirus, COVID-19.

Prime Minister and Minister of Interior His Excellency Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al Thani chaired the cabinet meeting via video conferencing on Monday 18th May 2020.

After the meeting, Minister of Justice and Acting Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs His Excellency Dr. Isa bin Saad Al-Jafali Al-Nuaimi stated the following: The Cabinet listened to the explanation provided by Minister of Public Health on the latest updates and developments to reduce the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19). The Council affirmed the continuation of the precautionary measures taken to combat COVID-19 pandemic and decided the following.

FIRST:

1. All citizens and residents are obligated to install the EHTERAZ app on smartphones when leaving the house for any reason.
2. This decision is effective from Friday 22/5/2020 until further notice.

Download Ehteraz App

SECOND:

1. All citizens and residents are obligated not to have more than 2 people in the vehicle and a maximum of 3 are allowed in the following cases:

• Transportation in taxis and limousines.
• Transfer in private vehicles when driven by the driver of the family.

Second:
1- All citizens and residents are obligated not to have more than 2 people in the vehicle and a maximum of 3 are allowed in the following cases:
A- Transportation in taxis and limousines.
B- Transfer in private vehicles when driven by the driver of the family. #QNA

— Qatar News Agency (@QNAEnglish) May 18, 2020

2. Ambulances and vehicles of the Public Health Ministry and the security and military authorities are excluded from that.

3. Continuation of the decision to reduce number of people transported by buses to half the capacity of the bus while taken the precautionary measures.

4. This decision is effective from Tuesday, May 19, 2020, until further notice.

THIRD:

1. Practicing sport shall be in areas close to the residence area, taking into consideration avoiding gatherings and taking necessary precautions of wearing masks and maintaining safe distance.
2. This decision is effective from Tuesday 19/5/2020 until further notice.

FOURTH:

• The Ministry of Interior shall take the necessary measures in this regard.

FIFTH:

• Closing shops and stopping all commercial activities from 19/5/20 to 30/5/2020, except food and catering shops, pharmacies, restaurants providing delivery service, and the Ministry of Commerce shall determine the other necessary activities exempted from this decision.

SIXTH:

• In case of non-compliance with these decisions, penalties stipulated in Decree-Law No. (17) of 1990 regarding prevention of infectious diseases shall be applied to violators by imprisonment for not exceeding 3 years and fine not exceeding QR 200,000 or one of them.

Source: Qatar News Agency

16000 will also continue to provide a 24/7 call centre service for all enquiries in relation to the COVID-19. 

Also Read:

Wearing face masks outside home made compulsory in Qatar | Violators will be fined up to QR 200,000

Effective from 17th May 2020 (Sunday) Qatar has made it compulsory to wear face masks when you are outside home. Qatar has take many measures to fights against the spread of deadly coronavirus, COVID-19. As a part of that, Qatar has made it compulsory to wear masks when you leave outside the house for any reason.

Except in case when a person is driving alone, residents and citizens should wear masks while leaving the house / when they are out from home for any reason. This was announced during a regular cabinet meeting chaired by H.E. the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al -Thani held via video conferencing recently.

H.E. Minister of Justice and Acting Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Dr. Issa bin Saad Al-Jafali Al-Nuaimi stated the below after the meeting,

1. Compulsory to wear masks while residents and citizens leave house

To compel all citizens and residents upon leaving house for any reason to wear masks, except in the case when a person is alone while driving a vehicle, and the Ministry of Interior takes the necessary measures in this regard.

1- To compel all citizens and residents upon leaving house for any reason to wear masks, except in the case when a person is alone while driving a vehicle, and the Ministry of Interior takes the necessary measures in this regard. #QNA

— Qatar News Agency (@QNAEnglish) May 14, 2020

2. Imprisonment up to 3 years and fine not exceeding two hundred thousand
In case of non-compliance with this decision, the penalties stipulated in Decree Law No. (17) of 1990 regarding the prevention of infectious diseases shall be applied to violator by imprisonment for a period not exceeding three years and a fine not exceeding QR (200,000) two hundred thousand , or one of these two penalties.

2- In case of non-compliance with this decision, penalties stipulated in Decree Law No. 17 of 1990 regarding the prevention of infectious diseases applies to violator by imprisonment for not exceeding 3 years and fine not exceeding QR 200,000, or one of these two penalties. #QNA

— Qatar News Agency (@QNAEnglish) May 14, 2020

3. Effective date of this new rule is from 17th May 2020

This decision is effective from Sunday, 17/5/2020, until further notice.

3- This decision is effective from Sunday, 17/5/2020, until further notice. #QNA

— Qatar News Agency (@QNAEnglish) May 14, 2020

During the cabinet meeting, the cabinet has also approved some other draft decrees which includes,

1. A draft decree approving the guarantee agreement of the government of Qatar for Al Kharsaah solar power plant project.
2. A draft decree approving the agreement to grant rights to Al Kharsaah solar power plant project.
3. A draft decree approving the priority right agreement for Al Kharsaah solar power plant.

• The Cabinet approved also a draft law amending some provisions of Law No. (12) of 2006 regarding the canceled Mesaieed municipality, and referring it to the Shura Council.
• The Cabinet approved a draft decision to issue the executive regulations for the law regulating medical treatment abroad.
• The Cabinet approved also a draft memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the diplomatic institute of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the State of Qatar and the University of Houston-Clearlake in the United States.

16000 will also continue to provide a 24/7 call centre service for all enquiries in relation to the COVID-19. 

(Source: Qatar News Agency – QNA)

Also Read:

Tips to follow after returning home from grocery shopping during COVID-19 | MoCI Qatar