New COVID-19 precautionary measures to take effect starting Saturday, 8 Jan 2022

In a regular meeting of the Council held in Amiri Diwan headquarter today, 5th January 2022 chaired by His Excellency Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, and upon the recommendation of His Excellency Mr. Mohammed bin Abdullah Al-Sulaiti, Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs, stated the following:

At the beginning of the meeting, the council listened to the explanation given by H.E. Dr. Hanan Mohamed al-Kuwari, Minister of Public Health, on the latest updates and developments to limit the spread of Covid-19. It also reviewed the report of the Supreme Committee for Crisis Management in this regard, and in the interest of the health and safety of all community members, decide the following new precautionary measures effective Saturday, 8th January 2022.

Business and Leisure

• Workplace: 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.

• Workplace (meeting): Continuing to allow meetings to be held for employees and workers in the government and private sectors who are at their workplace in the presence of no more than (15) people who have completed doses of the (Covid-19) vaccine, provided that the rest of the meetings are (remotely) using modern technical means.

• Rapid test for non-vaccinated: Continuing to oblige all employees and workers in the public and private sectors to conduct a rapid test for the Corona virus (Rapid Antigen) approved by the Ministry of Public Health, on a weekly basis, for employees and workers who did not receive or complete doses of the (Covid-19) vaccine, and they are exempted from conducting that examination. Employees and workers who have completed doses of the (Covid-19) vaccine, and who have recovered from the disease.

• Theatres and cinemas: Continuing to allow the opening of theaters and cinemas and the provision of their services not exceeding (50%) of the capacity, provided that all the visitors have completed doses of the (Covid-19) vaccine.

• Museums and libraries: Allowing the opening of museums and public libraries with a full capacity, provided that all visitors to those museums and public libraries have completed doses of the (Covid-19) vaccine.

• Shopping Malls: Continuing to allow the work of commercial complexes with a capacity not exceeding (75%), while allowing entry to those who have completed doses of the (Covid-19) vaccine, and allowing the opening of food courts within the commercial complexes, provided that it does not exceed (30%) of the capacity of those squares. And allow the opening of mosques, changing rooms and toilets in those complexes, with all shops in those complexes adhering to the maximum number of customers allowed to be there, which is determined by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

• Restaurants: Continuing to allow restaurants and cafes to serve food and beverages according to the following:

  • A capacity card that does not exceed (75%) for restaurants and cafes that have the “Clean Qatar” certificate, and a capacity card that does not exceed (40%) for restaurants and cafes that meet the conditions determined by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, in open spaces.

  • A capacity card that does not exceed (50%) for restaurants and cafes that have a certificate of the "Clean Qatar" program, and a capacity card that does not exceed (30%) for restaurants and cafes that meet the conditions determined by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, provided that all customers have completed vaccine doses. (Covid-19), and allow entry to children under 12 years of age, accompanied by their families only, in closed spaces.

  • In all cases, all workers in those facilities must be from those who have completed doses of the (Covid-19) vaccine.

• Trade-shows, Exhibitions, Conferences and Cultural Events​​​​​​​: Continuing to allow the organization of conferences, exhibitions and events in accordance with the following:

  • A capacity not exceeding (50%), in open spaces.

  • Capacity not exceeding (30%), in closed places.

  • In all cases, prior approval from the Ministry of Public Health is required before holding any conference, exhibition or event, and that all organizers and participants in such conferences, exhibitions and events have completed doses of the (Covid-19) vaccine.

• Souqs: Allowing souqs to operate on all days of the week, with a capacity not exceeding (75%), and allowing children to enter, with all stores in those markets adhering to the maximum number of customers allowed for their presence there, which is determined by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

• Wholesale markets: Continuing the work of wholesale markets with a capacity not exceeding (75%), and allowing entry to those who have completed doses of the (Covid-19) vaccine, with all stores in those markets adhering to the maximum number of customers allowed in them, which is determined by the Ministry of Trade and Industry, and allowing auctions to be held in those markets.

• Barbershops and hairdressers: Continuing to allow the opening of beauty and hairdressing salons with a capacity not exceeding (50%), provided that all workers in those facilities and clients have completed doses of the (Covid-19) vaccine.

• Theme parks and leisure centers: Continuing to allow the opening of amusement parks and all entertainment centers according to the following:

  • A capacity not exceeding (75%) for amusement parks and recreational centers in open spaces.

  • A capacity not exceeding (50%) for amusement parks and recreational centers in closed places, and allowing entry to customers who have completed doses of the (Covid-19) vaccine.

  • In all cases, all employees of these facilities must be those who have completed doses of the (Covid-19) vaccine.

• Health clubs, gyms, and spas: Continuing to allow the opening of health clubs, physical training clubs and massage services, not exceeding (50%) of the absorptive capacity, with closing dressing rooms, showers, saunas, steam, jacuzzi services, Moroccan and Turkish baths, provided that all workers in those facilities and clients who have completed vaccine doses ( COVID-19).

• Swimming pools and water parks: Continuing to allow the opening of swimming pools and water parks according to the following:

  • A capacity not exceeding (75%) for all swimming pools and water parks in open spaces.

  • A capacity not exceeding (50%) for all indoor swimming pools and water parks, and allowing entry to customers who have completed doses of the (Covid-19) vaccine.

  • In all cases, all employees of these facilities must be those who have completed doses of the (Covid-19) vaccine.

• Cle​aning and Hospitality Services: Continuing to allow cleaning and hospitality companies to provide their services through their workers who have completed doses of the (Covid-19) vaccine, whether in one or more homes, and allowing cleaning and hospitality services to be provided to the facilities contracting with them during working hours with a full capacity, through their employees who have completed COVID-19 vaccine doses.

COVID-19 precautionary measures with respect to masks

• Continuing the obligation to wear masks in all open and closed public places, with the exception of people who practice sports in open places.

Ehteraz Application

• Continuing to oblige all citizens, residents and visitors to activate the Ehteraz application on smart phones when leaving the house for any reason.

Gatherings

• Mosques: Continuing to open mosques to perform daily duties and Friday prayers, while not allowing entry to children under 12 years old, 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. .

• Social Gatherings: Continuing to allow social gatherings in homes and councils according to the following:

  • The presence of a maximum of (10) people, who have completed doses of the (Covid-19) vaccine, in closed places in homes and councils, with the exception of family members residing in the same house.

  • The presence of a maximum of (15) people, who have completed doses of the (Covid-19) vaccine, in open spaces in homes and councils, with the exception of family members residing in the same house.

• Weddings: Continuing to allow weddings to be held in wedding halls in hotels and independent wedding halls only, and for people who have completed doses of the (Covid-19) vaccine, according to the following:

  • If there is no more than (30%) of the capacity of the closed wedding hall, and a maximum of (40) people.

  • The presence of no more than (50%) of the capacity of the open wedding hall, and a maximum of (80) people.

Education and Health

• Education and Training Centers: Continuing to allow educational centers and private training centers to provide their services with a capacity not exceeding (50%) and a maximum of (50) people in one hall, provided that all trainers and trainees have completed doses of the (Covid-19) vaccine.

• Special Needs Centers: Continuing 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 who start work in those centers are from those who have completed doses of the (Covid-19) vaccine.

• Nurseries: Continuing to allow the opening of nurseries and the provision of their services not exceeding (50%) of the capacity, provided that all workers who start work in nurseries are from those who have completed doses of the Covid-19 vaccine.

• Private healthcare facilities: Continuing to allow medical services to be provided in private health care facilities with the full capacity of these facilities, provided that all workers who start work in those facilities are those who have completed doses of the (Covid-19) vaccine.

Outdoor and Professional Sports

• Activities in parks, Corniche, and beaches: Continuing to allow gatherings or sitting in public parks, beaches and the Corniche with a maximum of (15) 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. of the capacity not to exceed (75%) of the capacity, and to allow the opening of toilets in the gardens specified by the Ministry of Municipality.

• Professional Sports Training​​​​​​​​​​​​: Continuing to allow professional sports training, whether in indoor or open spaces, and allowing preparatory training for local and international tournaments approved by the Ministry of Public Health, and allowing training for age groups from (18) years and under for Qatari sports clubs and federations, with a maximum of (40) people. In open spaces and (30) people in indoor spaces, who have completed doses of the (Covid-19) vaccine, with no public attendance allowed, and the suspension of training for children under 12 years old in private clubs.

• Local and International Sporting events: 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 (50%) of the capacity of the public in open spaces, provided that they have completed doses of the (Covid-19) vaccine, and allowing the presence of what is not It exceeds (30%) of the capacity of the public in indoor places, provided that they have completed doses of the (Covid-19) vaccine, and the suspension of local and special sports leagues and tournaments for age groups and adults, and the suspension of community sports tournaments and activities.

Transport

• Continuing to work 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.

• Public transport:

  • Continuing to allow people to be transported by buses not to exceed (60%) of the bus's capacity, while taking precautionary measures and measures.

  • Continuing the operation of metro services and public transport services, not exceeding (60%) of the capacity throughout the week, while continuing to close places designated for smoking, and not allowing food and drink in the mentioned means of transport.

• Driving schools: Continuing to allow the opening of driving schools, and to provide their services with a capacity not exceeding (50%), provided that all trainers and trainees have completed doses of the (Covid-19) vaccine.

• Maritime transport:

  • Continuing to allow the work of chartering services of tourist boats and yachts and pleasure boats, provided that all workers in those boats and yachts have completed doses of the (Covid-19) vaccine.

  • The number of passengers on these boats and yachts does not exceed (30%) of its capacity and a maximum of (15) persons who have completed doses of the (Covid-19) vaccine.

  • Owners of personal boats and yachts, if used, are obligated not to have more than (12) people on board, with the exception of family members residing in the same house.