Guide To Qatar’s COVID Restrictions (September 2021)

On 16th June 2021, Qatar’s Cabinet has announced its decision to go ahead with the third phase of the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions, effective Friday, 09th of July 2021. This article summarises the COVID restrictions that are currently in place.

The latest decisions include entry for kids into cinemas, increase the number of people allowed in weddings and also increased the percentage of people allowed in malls and restaurants.

The decisions will go into effect starting Friday, 9th of July 2021.

Latest Updated on COVID Restrictions in Qatar

According to Qatar News Agency, after reviewing the report of the Supreme Committee for Crisis Management regarding the plan to re-impose restrictions due to the Corona pandemic, and for the sake of health and the safety of all members of society, Cabinet decided the following restrictions.

We have summarised the text to be table format for easy reference.

Workplace

Attendance: Government Sector	80 per cent of employees (rest of the employees to work remotely from their homes or on request) with the exception of the military, security and health sectors.
Attendance: Private Sector	80 per cent of employees (rest of the employees to work remotely from their homes or on request). Ministry of Trade and Industry, in coordination with the concerned authorities, to determine the necessary activities that are excluded from this decision.
Meetings: Government Sector	No more than 15 people, who must have completed both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. Others who didn’t can only attend the meeting online.
Meetings: Private Sector	No more than 15 people, who must have completed both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. Others who didn’t can only attend the meeting online.

All employees in the public and private sector must carry out a rapid antigen test that is accredited by the Ministry of Public Health on a weekly basis. This applies to employees who did not receive or continue all the doses of their COVID-19 vaccines.

Those who did take both doses, recovered from the disease, or those whose health condition does not allow based on a medical report accredited by MoPH, are exempt from taking the rapid antigen test.

While Leaving Home

Wearing masks when leaving the house	Compulsory for all (except when driving alone)
Activating the Ehteraz app when leaving the house	Compulsory for all

Mosques

Mosques	Open for daily and Friday prayers; Children under 7 years old are not allowed to enter.
Toilets and ablution facilities at Mosques	Closed

Social Gatherings

Social gatherings at closed places (Homes, Majlis etc.)	No more than 15 vaccinated people, or 5 unvaccinated or mixed groups, to gather indoors.
Social gatherings at outdoor areas of homes	No more than 30 vaccinated people, or 10 unvaccinated or mixed groups, to gather outdoors.
Social gatherings at public outdoor areas	Up to 15 people or family members from one house can gather at parks, beaches, and the corniche, including permitted use of playgrounds and sports equipment.
Weddings	Wedding capacity to increase to 80 people at hotels and wedding venues, of which at least 75% must be vaccinated.

Public Parks, Beaches and Corniche

Playgrounds and exercise equipment	Open with restrictions
Walking, Jogging and Cycling	Allowed

Transportation

Maximum capacity in vehicles	Four people (including the driver) with the exception of family members residing in the same house.
People transported by bus	50 per cent of the bus capacity (while taking precautions measures).
Metro services and public transport	Public transport and Metro to increase to 50% capacity while buses to operate at 30% capacity.
Driving schools	Driving schools to increase to 50% capacity. Employees must be vaccinated.
Rental services of boats, tourist yachts and pleasure boats	All boat staff must be vaccinated. Private boats allowed to operate at 50% capacity, and boat rentals and tourist boats at 30% capacity. This includes up to 20 people, of which up to 3 can be unvaccinated.

Private Health care

Private health care facilities

Continue to allow medical services in private health care facilities with full capacity, provided all workers are vaccinated.

Education Centres

Schools & Kindergartens	Blended learning to increase to 50% capacity.
Nurseries	Nurseries and childcare facilities to continue operating at 50% capacity. Employees must be vaccinated.
Private educational and training centres	Private educational and training centres to increase to 50% capacity. Trainers must be vaccinated and 75 % of clients should be vaccinated.
Centres for people with special needs	Special needs centres to continue operating with one teacher per up to five students. Teachers must be vaccinated.

Shopping Malls (Commercial Complexes)

Occupancy	Maximum 50 per cent capacity
Entry for children	Entry allowed for children under 12
Food courts inside	30% Capacity

Restaurants & Cafes

Indoor Restaurants and Cafes	A capacity not exceeding 50% for restaurants and cafes that have a “Clean Qatar” certificate, and a capacity not exceeding 15% for restaurants and cafes that meet the conditions determined by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, provided that all customers have completed vaccine doses. Only children accompanied by their families allow in closed spaces.
Outdoor Restaurants and Cafes	A capacity not exceeding 50% for restaurants and cafes that have obtained the “Clean Qatar” certificate, and capacity not exceeding 30% for restaurants and cafes that meet the conditions determined by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, in open spaces.

Public Places

Public museums	Museums to increase to 50% capacity.
Libraries	Libraries to increase to 50% capacity.
Traditional markets	Maximum 50% capacity, with no age restrictions.
Wholesale markets	Maximum 50% capacity, with no age restrictions.

Entertainment

Cinemas	Cinemas and theatres to continue at 30% capacity. At least 75% of customers must be vaccinated. Allowing the entry of children and counting them as part of 25%, who did not complete or did not receive doses of the Covid-19 vaccine.
Amusement parks and all entertainment centres	Amusement parks and entertainment centres to increase to 50% capacity outdoors and 30% capacity indoors. 75% of customers must be vaccinated. Children are allowed to enter and will be counted among the 25%, who did not complete or did not receive doses of the vaccine.

Sports & Fitness Facilities

Health clubs and physical training clubs	Professional sports training allowed indoors and outdoors, while amateur training allowed up to 30 vaccinated people outdoors and 15 vaccinated people indoors. No fans allowed. The training allowed for MOPH-approved local and international tournaments. Fans allowed outdoors at 50% capacity and indoors at 30% capacity, of which at least 75% must be vaccinated.
Massage services, saunas, steam rooms, Jacuzzi services, and Moroccan and Turkish baths	Gyms, training clubs, and spas to increase to 50% capacity. Employees and customers must be vaccinated.
Swimming pools and water parks	Pools and water parks to increase to 50% capacity outdoors and 30% indoors. 75% of customers must be vaccinated. Children allowed to enter and will be counted among the 25% of who did not complete or did not receive the vaccine.
Local and international sporting events	Continue to allow 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 in open spaces, provided that 75% of the public who have completed vaccine doses, with those who did not complete or did not receive doses to conduct a Rapid Antigen test approved by the Ministry of Public Health within 24 hours before the event. 30% capacity in closed places, provided they are vaccinated.

Misc Services

Beauty and hair salons	Barbershops and beauty salons to increase to 50% capacity. All employees and customers must be vaccinated. No more than one child should be present in those salons at the same time.
Services by cleaning and hospitality companies	Increase to 80% capacity for vaccinated hospitality and cleaning employees at workplaces during working hours. More than one vaccinated employee can continue to provide hospitality and cleaning services within a home.

The conditions and precautionary measures set by the Ministry of Public Health must be taken into consideration.

The Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Public Health, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, and other governmental bodies are in charge of taking the necessary measures to ensure adherence to the precautionary measures, all within their powers and jurisdiction.

Reference: QNA, The Peninsula