Qatar’s remarkable success in combating the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has again enabled the country to ease restrictions following a significant dip in daily and active cases in the last month. This puts to perspective the anticipated move towards a post-pandemic world.
On May 28, Qatar began the gradual easing of restrictions with the first phase. Dr. Abdullatif Al Khal, Chair of the National Health Strategic Group on COVID-19 and Head of Infectious Diseases at Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) last month, announced that restrictions would commence gradually in four phases with a planned gap of three weeks. Phase one began on May 28; phase two will begin tomorrow, while the third and fourth phases are scheduled for July 9 and July 30, respectively.
Qatar’s vaccination campaign, which has seen 2,845,587 doses administered, has significantly enabled the process of easing restrictions. As a result, more than 1.6 million people have received at least one dose, of which over 1.2 million have taken both doses.
In a press conference last month, Dr. Al Khal stressed the safety of the vaccines and urged citizens and residents to register to take the shots.
“It is very encouraging that we are seeing clear evidence that the vaccines are protecting people from developing symptoms of COVID-19 and becoming ill. The next phases of the plan to lift restrictions will include privileges for those who have been vaccinated. They can dine out and will be given priority at sports centres, among others. Unlike last year, we will be able to make more freedoms available to those who are vaccinated; they will enjoy certain privileges before others,” he said.
Meanwhile, in the latest phase of easing restrictions, the Cabinet approved shopping malls to operate at an increased 50% capacity – a 20 percent rise from phase one. In addition, food courts, mosques, and toilets will reopen with 30% capacity. Furthermore, children under the age of 12 will now be allowed to enter malls again starting from Friday.
Another significant measure is that weddings will now be permitted at hotels and wedding venues for up to 40 people, of which at least 75% must be vaccinated, starting Friday. Among other decisions, restaurants and cafes’ operating capacity expanded to 50%, with indoor restaurants under the Qatar Clean list restricted to 30% only for those who have received their vaccines.
As Qatar gradually approached optimum immunity which, according to the World Health Organisation, is ‘the indirect protection from an infectious disease when a population is immune either through vaccination or immunity developed through previous infection,’ citizens and residents must ensure compliance to the preventive measures outlined by the relevant authorities and register for vaccines.
