Kung magpapatuloy sa pagtaas ang bilang ng nagiging positibo sa COVID-19, maaaring magpataw ng mas pinaigting at striktong restrictions ang Ministry of Public Health (MoPH). Dagdag pa ng MoPH, ang pagtaas ng bilang ng mga bagong kaso ng COVID-19 at hospital admissions ay tila maagang senyales ng pagkakaroon ng second wave sa Qatar. Ngayong Martes lamang ay nakapagtala ng 477 bagong kaso ng COVID-19. Matatandaan na nitong nakaraang araw ng Huwebes, February 4, 2021 ay inilabas ng awtoridad ang reimposition ng mga COVID-19 health restrictions, matapos maging consistent ang pagtaas ng mga bagong kaso ng COVID-19 sa bansa sa mga nakalipas na linggo. Ilan sa mga nasabing reimposed restrictions ay ang limitasyon sa mga outdoor gatherings para sa 15 tao lamang, samantalang ang mga indoor gatherings ay hindi dapat tataas sa limang (5) tao. Bawal ang magdaos ng kasal kung hindi sa mismong bahay at limitado lamang sa mga kamag-anak ang dapat dumalo. Ang mga bilihan naman ay dapat nasa 30% lamang ang capacity. Bawal na rin ang mag renta ng mga bangka para sa publiko, samantalang kung pribado naman, hindi dapat lalampas sa 15 tao ang lulan nito. Bawat isa ay pinapayuhan na magsuot palagi ng facemask kapag nasa labas ng mga tahanan, at panatilihin ang social distancing saan mang lugar.

The Aim This protocol aims to provide guidance on the best means to facilitate safely holding sports activities associated with the National Sports Day this year amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and particularly the adoption of effective preventive public health measures to protect the health of participants and the community by reducing the risk of COVID-19 transmission before, during and after the Sports Day. Scope of Allowed Activities and Its Locations This year, only individual sporting activities are allowed, such as jogging/running, swimming, and cycling. Contact sports that require physical contact between players are prohibited, for example football matches. Competitive sports that require more than one team in a limited space is prohibited. All sporting activities, during training and preparation and during the event itself, must be conducted entirely in outdoor settings. All sporting activities in indoor settings are entirely prohibited. In case the use of vehicles is required to reach the locations of the activities, the number of passengers should not exceed 4 persons in each car, including the driver. in the case of using buses, the number of people on the bus should not exceed 30% of the maximum capacity load, taking into account the opening of the windows. All should comply with wearing face masks during transport. All sports and gym equipment in parks, sports paths and all other public places are closed. Other Public Health measures Face masks are mandatory and should be worn at all times except during the sporting activity itself. In the event of stopping sporting activity, it must be put back on. Avoid shaking hands, hugging or kissing at all times. Close interaction with other people should be avoided before starting and after finishing sporting activities and a safe distance must be maintained at all times during the sports activity. Participants are advised to maintain a minimum distance of 1.5 meters while talking to other participants with strict compliance to wearing face masks. Participants are not to share clothes, towels, soap or any other personal items, and they must use their own drinking bottles and not to share it with others. They should use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer to clean hands. Cleaning and disinfection of frequently touched surfaces. No spitting no cheering, no live choir, and no live singing by spectators as this can spread virus. Provide trash cans with lids to dispose of used tissues in all vehicles and venues. Anyone who is feeling unwell should not participate in any sports activity and should to the nearest health center. Participants in the individual sports activities during the National Sports Day should take into account the following: Spectators are not allowed to attend any of the activities during the sports day. Family groups of the same household can sit together in the open air, but with the minimum of 2m distance from other families in all directions. Thermal screening must be conducted for athletes upon entry to any area to practice any sports activity. Entry will be prohibited for those with temperature above 37.8 degrees. In addition, check that the status is green in EHTERAZ app to allow entry. Everyone must wear face masks all the time when they are not performing exercises or during walking. Vulnerable and high-risk groups including people aged 60 years and older and people with chronic illnesses should be discouraged from attending the activities for their own safety. Catering It is preferable not to eat while exercising or during sports activities. Meals should be served in accordance with the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) guidance for restaurants. Food outlets at venue are restricted to ready-made, take-away in disposable packaging. Only outdoor dining is allowed. Queues for obtaining meals must comply with the minimum of 1.5 m physical distancing precautions - mark floors to ensure compliance and provide staff or volunteers to ensure public compliance. No buffet food is to be served in any venue. For more general health and prevention information, inquiries can be directed to the Ministry of Public Health.

The Ministry of the Interior, represented by the Juvenile Police Department, signed a cooperation agreement with the Behavioral Healthcare Center, on Sunday 24 January 24, 2021 at the officers Club of the General Directorate of Civil Defense to enhance cooperation between the two parties in the areas of exchange of experience and achieving common goals for the protection of juveniles and those exposed to behavioral deviation. The agreement was signed by Brigadier Ibrahim Eissa Al Bouainain, Director of the Juvenile Police Department at the MOI, and Rashid Mohamed al-Nuaimi, Director-General of the Behavioral Healthcare Center. Brigadier Ibrahim Eissa Al Bouainain said that the agreement comes within the framework of promoting joint work between the two parties in the fields of educational activities, exchange of experiences, cooperation in research and studies, offering lectures, seminars and training workshops to protect juveniles from being exposed to causes and problems of delinquency and supporting programs for their protection. He confirmed that the agreement would contribute to improving the joint work between the Juvenile Police Department and the Behavioral Healthcare Center. For his part Rashid Mohamed al-Nuaimi said that the agreement between the center and the Juvenile Police Department was an important step in the area of community partnership between the government sector and civil society institutions, which will enhance the exchange of experience and capacity. He stressed the Center's concern to continue cooperation with the Ministry of Interior in providing quality services to all members of society, considering the Ministry of the Interior as a strategic partner, hoping that the two parties will offer a lot of joint work to care for the targeted groups.

In a BBC news interview, Qatar Airways GCEO HE Akbar Al Baker mentioned that vaccination certificates could be the new norm for many countries and would be a requirement that every person should be vaccinated before entering their countries. Al Baker stated, “I think that this will be the new norm that everybody will have to produce a vaccination certificate to board an aeroplane - and not only to board an aeroplane, a lot of countries would require that you be vaccinated before you come to the countries. I think it will be a joint ICAO, IATA and WHO project, to introduce a safe pass for people whose vaccination certificates will be recognised internationally.” “Until and unless science proves all these questions that people have about the disease or the effect of the vaccination, I don’t think that travel will come back to 2019 levels for the foreseeable future,” Al Baker added. According to the GCEO, nothing is more costly than to look at the interest of the passengers and crew, to protect them from the pandemic. He added that their airline, Qatar Airways is ready to invest to give passengers the confidence that they can travel safely with their airlines.

Pinag-iingat ng Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) ang publiko at mga residente ng Qatar sa kumakalat na “anonymous scam phone calls” para makakuha ng personal na impormasyon na ginagamit ang "Ehteraz" application. Sa isang public warning notification message na pinadala sa pamamagitan ng Etheraz application ngayong araw, nagbabala ang MoPH na huwag magbibigay ng kahit anong impormasyon dahil hindi naman ito hinihingi ng ahensiya, "no body or entity is authorized to make such calls,” pahayag nila. Nilinaw din ng ministry sa pakikipagtulungan sa mga awtoridad sa Qatar, na ang lahat ng personal na impormasyon at data ng mga residente ay mahigpit na binabantayan at pinangangalagaan at itinuturing na classified at highly confidential. Dahil sa mga pangyayaring ito, binalaan ng MoPH ang lahat na mas maging maingat at mapagmasid sa mga ganitong klase ng scam. "Don't provide any personal information or data to any person or entity which claims to be mandated by MOPH or the health sector," huling pahayag nila.

Walang side effect! Ito ang pahayag ni Dr. Yousef al-Maslamani, Medical Director ng Hamad General Hospital tungkol sa mga taong unang nakatanggap ng COVID-19 vaccine. Maayos at wala raw anumang kumplikasyon ang nasabing bakuna sa mga nakakuha na nito, at sa kasalukuyan ay masasabing matagumpay na ang kanilang kampanya para dito. Simula na raw ito ng malaking pagbabago at sa tuluyang pagkawala ng pandemic sa Qatar. "The turnout among the targeted category of people to take the vaccine has increased considerably over the past few days, especially since senior and well-known individuals have already taken the first dose," ayon kay Dr. Yousef. Nagpapasalamat din si Dr. Yousef sa mga residente ng Qatar sa pagiging pasensyoso ng mga ito sa loob ng siyam na buwan habang nag-aantay ng bakuna at ang kanilang walang sawang pagsunod sa mga precautionary measures at protocols para sa COVID-19. Ngayong may bakuna na, naiintindihan daw niya ang takot at pangamba ng mga tao sa bagong vaccine lalo na sa mga posibleng side effects nito. "It is normal that people may have doubts regarding any new invention or technology but the Ministry of Public Health depends on the approved scientific researches and studies and makes proper assessment of them accordingly. "The ministry never takes its information from what is circulating on the social media. Besides, all the available information about the new vaccine affirm that it is safe and highly effective and there is no reason to have fears or worries about it," dagdag pa ni Dr. Yousef. Bagama’t mayroon ng bakuna na available, pangamba pa rin ng marami ang bagong strain ng coronavirus na mabilis na kumakalat ngayon sa United Kingdom (UK). Ayon pa kay Dr. Yousef, hindi kailangang mangamba rito ang publiko. Normal lang daw ang mutation ng virus, pero hindi naman daw delikado ang bagong strain sa halip ay mabilis lang itong kumakalat kumpara sa naunang virus strain. "According to the company manufacturing the COVID-19 vaccine (given in Qatar), it is effective against the new strain of coronavirus as well," ayon pa sa kanya. Paalala pa rin ng mga awtoridad, pag-iingat pa rin ang pinakamabisang panangga sa COVID-19 kahit nakakuha na ng bakuna. "Another reason is that we need to vaccinate 70-80% of the total population to maintain effective immunity and avoid any potential spread of infection. Abiding by the preventive and precautionary measures is not a personal choice but a public decision issued by the authorities concerned for the good of all," giit pa ni Dr. Yousef. Pakikipagtulungan at koopersayon pa rin ng lahat ng mga residente sa Qatar ang susi para ganap na masugpo ang COVID-19 lalo na ngayon na may malinaw ng bakuna para tulungan tayo na bumalik sa normal ang ating mga buhay. Mainam pa rin ang pag-iingat dahil hindi pa tapos ang laban sa COVID-19, nagsisimula pa lang tayo.

Padating na nga sa bansa ngayong Lunes, December 21, 2020 ang unang batch ng COVID-19 vaccine, ayon sa tweet ni Qatar Prime Minister and Minister of Interior H.E. Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al Thani. Ayon sa kanya, darating na ngayong Lunes ang mga nasabing bakuna at tuluyan na itong maibibigay sa bawat isa ayon sa nakatakdang mga health protocols. Naniniwala ang Prime Minister and Minister of Interior na ito'y isang importanteng hakbang upang tuluyang makontrol ang pandemya sa bansa at magsimulang bumalik sa normal ang buhay. Nagpahayag din ng pasasalamat ang Opisyal sa mga medical teams at lahat na kabahagi nito. Narito ang kanyang tweet sa wikang Arabic: Samantala, matatandaan na sa panayam kay Dr. Abdul-Wahab Al Musleh, Advisor to the Minister of Public Health for Sports and Emergency Affairs, ang prayoridad sa bakuna ay ibibigay sa mga matatanda at mga may malalang sakit, kasama rin ang mga frontliners. Ang bakuna ay unti-unting maibibigay sa lahat ng publiko sa mga susunod na buwan, ayon pa kay Dr. Al Musleh. Para naman sa mga Pilipino expats sa Qatar, ang tumanggap ng libreng bakuna para sa COVID-19 mula sa pamahalaan ng Qatar ay isang napakalaking bagay. Kung kaya't sa ngayon pa lang, lubos na nagpapasalamat na ang mga Filipino expats sa pamahalaan ng Qatar sa pamumuno ni His Highness the Amir, Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani.

Kamakailan lang, inanunsyo ng Qatar na ang lahat ng residente nitong babiyahe pabalik ng bansa ay agarang magkakaroon ng exceptional entry permit. Maaaring i-print ng babiyahe ang permit mula sa website ng Ministry of Interior (MoI) bago sila bumalik imbes na mag-apply pa sa Qatar Portal website. Ito ay ipinatupad noong Nobyembre 29, pero hindi kasali rito ang mga residente na nasa labas na ng Qatar bago pa ito maipatupad. Kailangan pa rin nilang mag-apply nito sa Qatar Portal website. Kung kayo ay lalabas papunta sa ibang bansa, ito ang mga proseso para magkaroon kayo ng automatic exceptional entry permit: Bisitahin ang Ministry of Interior na website (https://portal.moi.gov.qa/wps/portal/MOIInternet/services/inquiries) Pindutin ang "Inquiries", tapos ang "Exit & Entry Permits at sa huli ang "Print Exceptional Return Permit" Sulatan ng buong detalye at i-print ang exceptional entry permit. Ayon sa Government Communications Office, ang quarantine period sa pagbalik sa Qatar ay isang linggo kahit saan pa ito nanggaling. Home quarantine sa mga galing sa bansang nasa Ministry of Public Health’s Green List. Hotel quarantine naman ay mandatory sa mga galing sa bansa na wala sa listahan ng Ministry. Dalawang linggo naman ang itatagal ng quarantine period para sa mga taong nasa shared facilities. Ang desisyong ito ay base sa national at international epidemiology statistics. Dahil sa mga pagbabagong ito, kinakailangan ang Coronavirus (COVID-19) test para sa mga babalik ng bansa paglapag nila sa Qatar kung hindi pa sila nakakapagpa-test sa loob ng 48 oras sa mga accredited COVID-19 Testing Centers. Makalipas ang ang anim na araw, pangalawang test ang isasagawa sa kanila. Ang status sa kanilang Ehteraz ay mananatiling dilaw matapos ang ikapitong araw mula sa kanilang pagdating. Para sa karagdagang detalye at impormasyon bisitahin ang Coronavirus (COVID-19) page ng Ministry of Public Health’s website - https://www.moph.gov.qa/english/Pages/default.aspx

Ang pinakahihintay na bakuna laban sa Covid 19 ay inaasahang darating na sa Qatar ilang linggo na lang mula ngayon. Ang magandang balita ay mula sa pahayag ng isang senior health official. Ayon kay Dr. Soha al-Bayat, Head ng Vaccination Unit, Health Protection and Communicable Disease Control Department ng Ministry of Public Health (MoPH), sa kanyang panayam sa isang local Arabic daily na Arrayah binanggit niya na abot kamay na ang bakuna at isa ang Qatar sa mga unang bansang makakakuha nito. Kampante silang ngayong buwan ng Disyembre ito darating o hindi hihigit sa unang buwan ng 2021. Matatandaang nonng isang buwan, pumirma na ang Qatar sa isang agreement sa  kompanyang Pfizer-BioNTech at Moderna na siyang magdadala ng Covid-19 vaccine sa bansa. Ayon pa kay Dr. al-Bayat, ang makukuhang bakuna ng Qatar ay nagpakita ng positibong resulta na mayroong higit sa 90% efficacy level base sa mga preliminary testing na isinagawa rito.

Ayon sa Assistant Undersecretary for Labour Affairs ng Ministry of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Affairs (MADLSA) Mohammed Hassan Al Obaidli, kailangan na ng empleyado ang kopya ng kanyang resignation sa kanyang application sakaling gusto niyang magpalit ng trabaho. Bukod dito kailangan din ng pirma at stamp ng bagong company na kanyang lilipatan kung gusto niya mag-transfer. Sa kanyang interview sa isang programa sa telebisyon, sinabi ni Al Obaidli na ang lahat ng nai-submit na job change application sa Ministry ay maayos na titingnan kung tatanggapin o hindi batay sa regulasyon ng ahensiya. “In case of acceptance, a text message will be sent to the employer informing him about the transfer of his worker and notice period and this will be considered second message from the Ministry to the employer,” dagdag ni Al Obaidli. “First text message issued from the Ministry responding to the application of a worker for job change does not mean final approval rather than to inform the employer that his worker has applied for job transfer and the application is under assessment of the Ministry,” ayon pa kay Al Obaidli. “We in the Ministry redrafted the text message to make it clear for employer and worker. The amended text message contains that a worker submitted a request for changing job from one company to other mentioning the name of new company. The message also includes that the request is under assessment so the worker should remain in the company until the end of the assessment.” Sinabi rin ni Al Obaidli na sa text message nakalagay na ang employer ay entitled na magtanong tungkol sa aplikasyon ng empleyado para makapagsabi ito ng kanilang mga concern sa pamamagitan ng hotline o email na makikita rin sa text message. Kasama rin dito na sinumang empleyado na dalawang taon ng nagtatrabaho sa isang kompanya ay dapat dalawang buwang notice period ang kailangang gawin o isang buwan naman para doon sa mga wala pang dalawang taon sa kanilang kompanya. “The new company (where a worker wants to transfer) should adhere to the wage protection system, labor law, be active, have business and project,” ayon ito kay Al Obidli. May karapatan din ang employer na maninggil ng charges or cost kung sumailalim sa mga training ang mga trabahador na aalis, mga expenses sa driving license at kung anu-ano pa para masigurong nasusunod ang karapatan ng kapwa employer at employee. “It is mandatory for employer and worker as well to comply to the job contract because both parties have rights and liabilities for each other,” diin ni Al Obaidli. “In case of transfer of the workers from these companies they will be compensated with new visas for hiring workers,” dagdag pa nya. Bukod pa rito, binanggit din ni Al Obaidli ang pagpapatupad muli ng pag-isyu ng labor recruitment, “The service was suspended due to COVID-19 which had shut down the airports all over the world. With gradual lifting of coronavirus restrictions on travel, the Ministry decided to resume the service due to need of oversees workers for ongoing projects.”

Simula ngayong araw, Nobyembre 29, lahat ng residente ng Qatar na babiyahe palabas ng bansa ay agaran (automatic) ng makakakuha ng exceptional entry permit. Ito ay ayon sa Government Communications Office (GCO). Maaari ng i-print ang permit mula sa Ministry of Interior (MOI) website anumang oras bago bumalik, dagdag pa ng ahensiya. Inilunasad ang "Exceptional Entry Permit" para matulungang makabalik ng mabilis ang mga residente ng Qatar at ang kanilang mga pamilya na naipit sa ibang bansa dahil sa Covid-19. Sa kasalukuyan, ang request ay maaari lamang gawin matapos makalabas ng bansa sa pamamagitan ng kanilang employer o sponsor. Sa kabilang banda, simula ngayon, hindi na nila kailangang mamroblema dahil automatic ng ibibigay sa kanila ang permit kapag sila ay dumating na sa Qatar. Ito ang full statement na inilabas ng GCO: In continuation of the gradual lifting of restrictions imposed in the State of Qatar as a result of the Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, based on public health indicators in the State of Qatar and around the world, and on Qatar’s travel policy announced previously, the following has been decided: First: Residents who are currently in the State of Qatar and wish to travel and return will automatically receive an exceptional entry permit upon departure. The resident or their employer will be able to printout the exceptional entry permit from the Ministry of Interior’s website at any point after the resident has departed Qatar. Requests will no longer need to be submitted through the “Qatar Portal” website. The permit will be available automatically upon registration of the resident’s departure from Qatar. The automatic exceptional entry permit service will not be available for residents who are currently outside the State of Qatar. They are still required to obtain the exceptional return permit via the “Qatar Portal” website if they wish to return to the State of Qatar. Second: The quarantine period will be for one week only after arrival in the country, regardless of destination. Home quarantine will be applied to those coming from countries on the Ministry of Public Health’s Green List. Hotel quarantine is mandatory for those coming from countries that are not included in the Green List. The quarantine period for those who use shared quarantine facilities will be two weeks. The decision is based on national and international epidemiology statistics. Based on these new procedures, a Coronavirus (Covid-19) test will be conducted for those returning from travel upon arrival to the country in the event they haven’t had a test within 48 hours before traveling to Doha by one of Ministry of Public Health’s accredited COVID-19 Testing Centers. Then a second test will be conducted on the sixth day from the date of arrival. The status on the Ehteraz application remain yellow until the end of the seventh day from the date of arrival. These decisions will come into effect starting next Sunday 29th of November. For more information, please visit the Coronavirus (Covid-19) page on the Ministry of Public Health’s website.

Isang maganda balita para sa lahat, kung sakaling makuha na ng Pfizer at BioNtech ang lahat ng kinakailangang approval para maisapubliko na ang bakuna, isa ang Qatar sa mga unang makakuha nito sa katapusan ng taon o sa unang buwan ng susunod na taon. Ito ay ayon sa isang senior health official. Sa isang pahayag ni Dr. Abdullatif Al Khal, Chairman ng National Health Strategic Group sa COVID-19 at Head ng Infectious Diseases ng Hamad Medical Corporation, sinabi nitong, “We have been working with Pfizer and BioNTech since the summer and they are confident that if their vaccine gets the necessary regulatory approval Qatar will be able to receive an initial quantity of vaccines by the end of this year or very early in 2021.” Ikinatuwa ng Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) ang pahayag na ito ng Pfizer at BioNtech. Isa raw itong patunay ng maagap at mayos na proseso para tuluyang makahanap ng ligtas at epektibong bakuna laban sa Covid-19. “Pfizer and BioNtech stated that preliminary analysis on their vaccine shows it can prevent more than 90 percent of people from getting COVID-19 which is better than we hoped for or expected. “This news gives us good reason to be optimistic that life can return towards normal sooner rather than later, but it is important to note that these are the initial results of the study and additional results of the ongoing clinical trials is required to confirm the vaccine’s effectiveness,” dagdag pa ng ministry. Inaasahang magbabago ang takbo kung ‘di man magiging normal agad ang buhay, kung sakaling maging epektibo nga ang bakunang inaasahan ng marami. Bagama’t malayo pa sa katotohanan ang agarang pagkawala ng virus, positibo naman ang pananaw ng lahat na malulunasan rin ang problemang ito at muli tayong mamumuhay ng maayos gaya ng dati