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To support the country for the successful conduct of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and beyond, Qatar Innovations Mobility Centre (Qmic) is supercharging its services and products, starting with the relaunch of its intelligent mobility platform, Wain, next month. “We are going to re-release our Wain platform in a completely different look and feel. It will be launched with lot more data and capabilities. It will be a super Wain, a super application by enhancing it with four or five more key capabilities. It will be launched in early December,” Dr Adnan Abu-Dayya, executive director and CEO of Qmic told Gulf Times. Qmic, the first startup in Qatar, has significant assets and expertise of services to be made use to support FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and beyond, he noted. “We have a roadmap to provide our services for the World Cup in 2022 and beyond. Our expertise is in intelligent mobility and Smart Cities and we are focusing more on them to provide better services. For this we have developed a new strategy named ECO (Enhance, Customise and Optimise). With this, we are planning to make use of our services to support the World Cup and thereby benefitting the country,” said Dr Abu-Dayya. With two years to go for the World Cup to be played in Qatar, Dr Abu-Dayya feels that Qmic has significant assets and time to enhance the services and customise them further. He hopes that by the time of the World Cup, the organisation will be able to optimise them to the most, giving the best user experience and efficient services. “We are not interested to start anything new now as we have significant assets and expertise already. All the core applications will be enabled further. We need to deliver a richer experience so that people can use it more and more. As for Wain, we have a big strategy to take it to the second generation and to the third and fourth within a year or two and the first step will be done by early December. It will have several new features and we have been working on it for the last five to six months,” said the Qmic CEO. Regarding the traffic management in the country, he said that Qmic has a platform all across the country to collect data. “We have the only traffic platform in the country and currently, we collect about 20mn data records and process them. We plan to double or triple it in the next two to three months. The more data we get, we will be able to provide better quality as well as more accuracy about the whole system. We have a plan to supercharge the traffic platform with more data collection capability using artificial intelligence,” he said. Dr Abu-Dayya also highlighted Qmic’s cloud management system and its capabilities will undergo changes in the coming months. “We have our own road sensors and we are evolving these sensors from second generation to third and transforming it to fourth generation next year. We are in the piloting stage for the fourth generation sensors,” he said. According to the official, the connected and automated mobility is another expertise area of Qmic that will look into autonomous mobility by digitising the infrastructure. “This is an area, we are working hard on for some time and we have already completed a good part of it. We have significant assets and experience in these areas and we will supercharge them to take them to the next level,” he said. As for the Smart Cities initiative, Dr Abu-Dayya said that the programme is progressing well. “We have deployed the third generation programme and employed it in several companies in the oil and gas sector. We are in discussion with entities in the key strategic sector in the country. Another programme is the Smart Intersections that helps to understand what is happening in the intersections with more images, videos and other supporting factors,” he added. Qmic, located in Qatar Science and Technology Park, is the first independent innovations centre in the region with a focus on developing and deploying smart mobility systems.

A top healthcare official has warned against laxity in adherence to the precautionary measures against Covid-19, noting that it can lead to more cases. “Some sections of people believe that the virus has become less dangerous. They think that the number of infected people announced daily is low. Therefore they feel negligent in adhering to the Covid-19 protocols. This must be avoided,” cautioned Dr Muna al-Maslamani, medical director, Communicable Diseases Center, Hamad Medical Corporation ( HMC). Dr al-Maslamani noted that the risk of a second wave of the virus is a concern, especially with the increasing number of infections in many countries and several of them going back to lockdown to prevent the spread of the virus. “Everyone should wear a mask in public places and when around people who don’t live in your household, especially when other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain. This can help us prevent the spread of the virus,” said Dr al-Maslamani. She said that community members have an important role to play in curbing the spread of the Covid-19 by ensuring social distancing, wearing masks and washing hands constantly with water and soap or sanitiser. “The virus will remain a health concern for some time in the future, and we are fully aware that lifting restrictions and imposed measures cannot guarantee that Covid-19 will not be transmitted. Therefore it is necessary to continue applying preventive measures to prevent an outbreak the virus,” explained Dr al-Maslamani. Dr al-Maslamani who is also the assistant head of Infectious Disease Division, HMC, pointed out that international studies have found masks contribute to reducing the transmission of infection between people in gatherings, especially if people wear them in public transportation and crowded places. She said that wearing a mask contributes to preventing 95% of infection from an infected person and if the individual and those around him wear masks, the infection rates drop to their lowest level. She also highlighted the importance of wearing masks in public places due to the fact that between 6 and 18% of those infected may not show any symptoms of the disease and they are able to spread the infection. If everyone, especially the asymptomatic wear masks, the chances of infection would be reduced. She maintained that before wearing the mask, hands must be washed and people must make sure that the mask covers the nose and mouth and that it is firmly fixed under the chin, over the bridge of the nose and on both sides of the face. She also advised not to touch the front part of the mask while wearing it or removing it, and in the event of touching it, hands must be washed and sterilised immediately. She explained that so far there is no vaccine or treatment for Covid-19 virus. “We must work together to consider the risks carefully and do not neglect the importance of preventive measures. These are life-saving practices and are necessary to protect members of society especially the most vulnerable sections of the society. Prevention is a responsibility that everyone should comply with. Parents should encourage their young children in particular to exercise caution to ensure they adhere to infection prevention practices,” added Dr al-Maslamani.

*'Etaam', founded by Sheikha Alnawar al-Thani, provides snack packets to expat workers A humanitarian initiative, founded by a Qatari lady to express gratitude to the workers involved in developing the country, is winning praise and appreciation among the community. “Etaam is a personal initiative started in June this year in the midst of the pandemic to provide snack boxes to the workers as a form of appreciation and thanks to those who spend hours toiling in the sun and building the country," the founder Sheikha Alnawar al-Thani told Gulf Times. "We have seen construction workers and cleaners among others who work hard to make Qatar what it is now and this is our way of thanking them. The idea is to build a culture of giving back,” she explained. Etaam, means ‘to feed or to nourish.' Sheikha Alnawar feels that the initiative is an opportunity to put social and cultural divisions aside and meet the people who help make Qatar what it is now. Now there are four of them engaged in the initiative. “As the government and construction companies provide the workers with adequate food, shelter and healthcare, we distribute snacks on construction sites or in the streets to labourers across Qatar from gardeners to waste collectors, construction workers and car cleaners. I started it by myself and we are now four ladies and from this month, we will open our doors to volunteers following all the Covid-19 protocols,” explained Sheikha Alnawar. "Our snack bags are an addition to the meals already provided to the workers.We make sure that the food we distribute is of good quality, healthy and nutritious. The team seems really happy about the rare opportunity to talk to the workers while we are handing out the snack bags,” she continued. The team distributes a minimum of 60 snack packets on any distribution day and they visit the workers weekly and sometimes twice a week. The team members bear all the expenses for the project and they do not accept any monetary support. “All the money for the project is funded by us and we do not accept monetary donations from others. Although so many people reached out asking us if they can send or transfer money, we have politely refused. Many people including teachers have reached out to us offering support. What we ask for is participation to help pack and distribute the bags. I would like to build the culture of participation, giving and empathy and those are our values at Etaam,” she highlighted. “We will be starting a new package which we call ‘family box’. This will go to families that have been affected by the pandemic. We will provide them with basic needs and we are trying to get hold of coupons to provide them. Restaurant owners and chefs are willing to cook meals if we can do the packaging. This shows how much people are willing to help,” she noted. Etaam already has over 40 volunteer requests and is asking more people to turn up in their cars so the snack bags can be loaded on the vehicles and can cover more areas. “For families, we are creating a database with the number of people in the families in need. We will plan a membership for a bi-weekly arrangement to receive the package. But this has not been implemented yet. We now write the words “thank you” in three languages on the bags given to the men for the work they do every day. Highlighting the environmental responsibility, Etaam is trying to minimise the carbon footprint by avoiding plastic waste and using paper bags. “It has been difficult because almost everything is wrapped in plastic. Now, we are looking for reusable alternatives at least for our family boxes. While shopping for Etaam products, I have my own reusable bags,” added Sheikha Alnawar.

A new public transport system consisting of buses using the most sustainable fuel as well as electric power will be introduced before the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, noted a top official of the tournament. “Since transportation is one of the major sources of carbon emission in any mega event, the proposed public transport system will use the most sustainable fuel or the green diesel while 30% use electric power,” explained, Nasser al-Khater, CEO, FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. He was speaking at a webinar yesterday organised by Qatar Green Building Council (QGBC), part of Qatar Foundation on sustainability as QGBC is marking Qatar Sustainability Week 2020 until November 7. Al-Khater said that Doha Metro will be the main transportation provider for the fans during the World Cup. “We expect over 1.5mn fans to visit Qatar during the World Cup. Doha Metro which has been delivered and fully operational, will be the main mode of transportation during the World Cup for all the fans,” he noted. The official said that sustainability is at the core of the planning of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 since the very beginning. “We have really focused on sustainability in terms of our constructions. We have adopted the highest standards available in Qatar in terms of sustainable building through the GSAS (Global Sustainability Assessment System) standards. Our stadiums are four or five star rated in GSAS standards. We have strived from the very beginning in 2010 to achieve one core objective of sustainability in all areas,” explained, al-Khater. He pointed out that as the tournament is just two years away, the approach is now focused on making the operational part more sustainable. “We have done great work to improve the livelihood of the workers and the World Cup has been a catalyst in improving the lives of the workers as we have worked with Josoor Institute to build human capital,” he said. “We have collaborated with Qatar Petroleum and Kahramaa for the creation of solar power generation plants which will be providing up to 800mw by 2022. We hope and work for a carbon neutral World Cup and we are sure that we will be achieving a very sustainable one and most likely the most sustainable World Cup so far,” he highlighted. The official maintained that the cooling technology of the stadiums also has a sustainability element to it. “The stadiums will be used all seasons and most part of the technology will run on solar power,” he maintained. Al-Khater noted that there is already a sustainable procurement methodology for the World Cup and all the vendors will be providing the services adhering to certain environmental standards. “In the next two years, environmental waste management is an area we are focusing especially on our official sites. We are also working with our stakeholders on better waste management plans. We want to make the World Cup as a catalyst to take waste management to the next level in Qatar,” al-Khater added.

Two Qatari women have come up with a new app, which will go live soon and is supported by Qatar Foundation (QF), providing online access to psychological counselling through video sessions, messaging and calls to face the challenges of new motherhood and the pressures of child rearing. Najla AlKuwari and Noof Almahmoud have come up with the new app, Therappy, finding themselves in the midst of new motherhood and facing the pressures of child rearing and postpartum issues. They were looking to mental health resources for support but found out that not much was tailored to their specific needs. Thus began their journey to developing Therappy. Therappy is a recent winner of the Product Development Fund – a funding opportunity offered by Qatar Science & Technology Park (QSTP), part of Qatar Foundation Research, Development and Innovation. Connecting users directly to counsellors, it aims to eliminate the additional inconvenience of long waiting times and appointments associated with traditional psychologists’ visits. The app will host everything - from booking to sessions and payment - securely to ensure confidentiality and a better user experience. Alkuwari, co-founder of the app, said Therappy will help curtail some of the hesitation around seeking help for mental health in Qatar and the region. “There is definitely a stigma associated with seeking help in some cultures, and with limited counselling resources available, people often find themselves running into those they know while feeling vulnerable. Being recognised or confronted about matters they may wish to keep private often hinders people from pursuing the help they need,” she explained. Emphasising complete privacy for users, Alkuwari hopes that the privacy and comfort offered by Therappy will encourage more members of the community to seek help and receive it unencumbered. Navigating the challenges of early motherhood can be overwhelming and may greatly impact one’s mental health. There is often a lack of understanding about the struggles of a new mother intending to seek help – finding a mental health resource is only the first step. Recovering physically, managing housework and taking care of toddlers and older children are only some of the reasons women delay addressing mental health issues of postpartum. While Therappy had been in the works before the Covid-19 pandemic hit, the drastic global shift in lifestyle only strengthened the need for a service like it in Qatar. “Unexpectedly for us, the pandemic began to require people to stay home, which affects even those already accessing counselling, and makes a service like ours all the more a necessity – it can be accessed any time and from anywhere," noted Alkuwari. The app currently aims to enlist psychologists and counsellors from across the Middle East, tailored to a variety of people, issues and their needs. It will also be available for use across the Middle East. The goal is to ensure that users are connected to counsellors they feel comfortable speaking to, whether in regard to their gender, background or experience. It also hopes to help mental health professionals expand their client base through the platform. “Of course, the added anxieties of the entire situation – be it working from home, schooling children at home or the many precautions being taken have caused more people to face mental health challenges and seek help. This has really pushed us to accelerate our development efforts and make it available to users as soon as possible,” added Alkuwari.

Attendance is compulsory in the country's schools on a rotation basis from Sunday, in line with a decision announced by the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MoEHE) recently. The ministry had taken the decision after evaluating the available data, which showed the general situation regarding Covid-19 in schools as "very reassuring". The MoEHE had also decided to raise the average attendance rate in all government and private schools and kindergartens to 42% of their capacity, in accordance with the weekly rotating attendance schedule. The rotating attendance system cancels the earlier decision to let students choose between actual attendance and distance (online) learning. Now, the blended education system will be applied according to the weekly rotating attendance schedule. Students with chronic diseases and who have medical certificates are excluded from physical attendance in schools during the first semester. All schools have made necessary arrangements accordingly and issued necessary instructions to students and parents regarding the days of attendances as well as the mode of reaching classrooms and collecting students after the school hours. Saturday, the Government Communications Office (GCO) released a video stressing how schools in Qatar have taken all precautionary measures in preparation for the students' return. Several schools have made specific and designated areas for students to reach the school as well as to pick them up after the school hours. Some schools have made the facility of contacting the teachers through WhatsApp or SMS before collecting the children so that any commotion can be avoided. Most schools also have appealed the parents to drop and collect their wards as school transport may not be made available in many schools. Students have been divided into different groups and they are expected to attend schools twice a week with the number of students not to exceed the allotted capacity. Birla Public School, in a circular, said students have been divided into groups and arrangements have been made for the smooth conduct of the classes. “School timing is 7am to 1.30pm and parents are advised to pick and drop the students at the school gate. Parents should avoid crowding near the gates as it raises health and safety concerns,” the circular states. “As soon as you reach the school to pick your ward, message (through WhatsApp/SMS) to the concerned class teacher that you have reached, so that the student can be sent down. Class-wise car parking will be allotted and parents are expected to remain seated in the vehicle. Older siblings are expected to exit through the gate allotted for the youngest. Therefore parents may park the vehicle in the parking lot allotted for the youngest child,” the circular adds. Doha Modern Indian School (DMIS), in a similar circular, said students in KG and Grades 1-11 will physically attend classes twice a week, while those in Grade 12 will report to school three days a week. All classes have been divided into groups with the exception of KG and Grades 1, 2 and 12. Lessons will be delivered through Zoom on other days in line with the blended learning system. DMIS is also providing the school bus facility, said the parent of a student . Some other schools also have made similar arrangements, assuring that all precautionary measures have been put in place to ensure that students are ferried safely. However, parents of students in schools not offering any bus service as of now feel that schools need to provide transportation as it is inconvenient for many of them to drop and pick up children due to their work schedule.

The Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy (SC) has achieved the disbursement of QR100mn ($27mn) for workers in 2019 through its Universal Reimbursement Scheme, notes a report recently published by the organisation. “220 contractors and other contracting parties agreed to pay to the workers back towards costs illegally charged by intermediary agents during their recruitment and relocation to Qatar,” says the first FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Sustainability Progress Report. The report also highlights several other key achievements that would enable the conduct of a smooth and splendid tournament in 2022. The report aims to provide an update to all stakeholders on how tournament organisers are progressing with the delivery of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Sustainability Strategy1 commitments and highlights the five sustainability commitments, including human rights, diversity and environmental protection as well as other sustainability-related objectives. According to the report, SC has secured two chartered cruise ships for the tournament. “With a combined capacity of 4,000 cabins, they will serve as floating hotels during the tournament. They represent one of several adaptable accommodation solutions in place to address the short term spike in demand for accommodation during the staging of the tournament, while avoiding overdevelopment of sectors that may struggle after the tournament,” notes, the report. The report points out that an online open course on Sustainability & Major Sport Events, inspired by the FIFA World Cup 2022 Sustainability Strategy was launched in partnership with the Josoor Institute and Hamad Bin Khalifa University. Over 900 people have enroled across more than 80 countries for the programme. Moreover, Tamreen, an online educational programme featuring FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022-themed lessons, has been launched and made available to all schools in Qatar. FIFA’s Tobacco Free Policy was implemented at the FIFA Club World Cup Qatar 2019 to protect the health of thousands of attendees, participants, workers and volunteers from exposure to second-hand smoke, maintains the report. Moreover, a total of 225 police commanders and 2,200 police officers received human rights and safety training last year while FIFA’s Anti-Discrimination Monitoring System was applied to all 168 FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 qualifying matches in 2019. SC has also mobilised more than 4,000 volunteers across 20 events in 2019 building capacity to support future events. As per the report, SC’s Generation Amazing programme celebrated its tenth year, reaching more than 500,000 people across the Middle East, Africa, Asia and the Americas since its inception and through its football-for-development programmes. The FIFA Club World Cup Qatar 2019 also helped in assessing and improving the tournament experience for disabled people and people with limited mobility including enhancements in infrastructure, staff and volunteer training, ticketing procedures, and transportation systems for disabled people and people with limited mobility. Another key achievement, pointed out in the report is that the Al Janoub Stadium became fully operational, achieved its targeted sustainable building certification for design and build, and exceeded its targeted sustainable construction management certification.

A Doha based, child prodigy has set a record of a different nature by identifying various types of one of the oldest forms of living beings on earth: dinosaurs. The six-year-old Padmanabhan Nair recently set a series of records by identifying maximum number of dinosaurs in the least time and has entered into the World Records of UK, Limca Book of Records, The India Book of Records and The Asia Book of Records. Padmanabhan achieved this feat by identifying 41 types of dinosaurs in one minute as well as 97 in five minutes and this young genius is also slated to appear in the Guinness Book of World Records, according to his father, Jayaprakash. The record setting feat took place in Doha on September 2 at Indian Cultural Centre in the presence of scientists and researchers from Qatar who officiated as witnesses and time keepers. His record setting attempt can be watched here: For this Grade 1 student of Birla Public School, dinosaurs have been a subject of curiosity and fascination and he has spared no efforts in mastering them. For him, it was not just a hobby watching these enormous reptiles on screen or books, but he has delved deep into their origin and started learning more about them. Padmanabhan, just 125cms tall, is a master in dealing with the biggest reptiles and can easily identify more than 130 types of dinosaurs without a flaw. “Padmanabhan took a fancy for this extinct species when he chanced upon a story book that featured dinosaurs. Ever since he has been pestering his father for more and more resources, which he happily provided and literally fanned the spark of curiosity and knowledge. By looking at the picture of a dinosaur, this youngster can tell, whether it is a ‘reptile’ or a ‘bird’ and other features,” explained Jayaprakash. Teachers, family friends and parents of Padmanabhan keep encouraging him to continue to learn more about the dinosaurs and provide him with various books and materials about special species of animals, references from various websites, YouTube, consultation with biology teachers and department heads of schools. The Principal and the faculty at Birla Public School are a great support in his continued journey into knowledge and Padmanabhan’s feat is sure to inspire other children in a big way. Everyone is hopeful about more such wonderful feats from this little master. Padmanabhan’s father Jayaprakash, works with Teyseer Services Company and his mother, Jyothilakshmi is a mathematics teacher. The family hails from Alappuzha in Kerala, India.

Qatar National Library (QNL) on Sunday announced its inaugural Open Initiative Awards, with the Best Institutional Award going to 'Bait Al-Mashura Journal' while the Best Individual Award was won by Dr Julie Decock, a scientist at Cancer Research Centre, Qatar Biomedical Research Institute (QBRI), part of Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) . Open access is the practice of sharing knowledge openly and making research outcomes visible and accessible to all. The movement includes open access to research papers, open data, open education resources, open licences and other applications of openness in scholarly and research environments. Rewarding the best contributions to the advancement of open scholarship in Qatar at a virtual ceremony, HE Dr Hamad bin Abdulaziz al-Kawari, Minister of State and President of QNL, said: “We believe that open scholarship and open access to information allows QNL to achieve its mission to preserve the nation's and region's heritage and enable the people of Qatar to positively influence society by creating an exceptional environment for learning and discovery. Qatar’s research output is part of our heritage, and open research and scholarship will allow us to preserve it for future generations.” An esteemed panel of judges from QNL deliberated over dozens of applications received after the call went out to Qatar’s research community in August for nominations. Dr Decock, also an assistant professor at the College of Health and Life Sciences, HBKU, was awarded for promoting open scholarship in Qatar through student mentorship and open access research at QBRI. Dr Decock exhibited strong support of open scholarship and personally promoted open access through research tools, research data, software code and research manuscripts. She has been involved in QBRI's summer research programme for undergraduate students programme, offering laboratory-based hands-on experience, and has given several workshops on open scholarship. “Having free and unrestricted access to research will also allow for communities in Qatar to better benefit from that nation’s research efforts. Qatar’s leadership has wisely invested a great deal in research, and openness in scholarship can provide immediate returns on that investment. This is even more important in times like these, where pandemics can change the course of our lives. Open access to medical data and research is critical to mitigating the effects of these events,” explained Dr al-Kawari. 'Bait Al-Mashura Journal' is an open access, semi-annual refereed international scientific journal publishing research in the fields of Islamic economics. The journal is published by Bait Al-Mashura Finance Consultations, established in 2007 as the first Qatari firm to provide Shari’ah finance consultations. Both award recipients gave presentations at the virtual ceremony, outlining the importance of working with organisations such as QNL to spread research findings as widely as possible. “These awards will become a key annual fixture for QNL as the movement grows in importance to researchers in Qatar and beyond. We are proud to support Qatar’s research through this key initiative at QNL. Indeed, QNL is committed to universal access to information and removing barriers to knowledge. One of our core values is the free, open, unrestricted access to our collections and services, and our dedication to open access supports that," added Dr al-Kawari. The awards ceremony coincided with the Open Access Week, a global event now entering its 10th year. The Week offers the academic and research community the chance to continue to learn about the potential benefits of open access, share what they’ve learned with colleagues and help inspire wider participation in helping to make open access the new normal in scholarship and research.

The reinfection or reactivation of Sars-Cov2 which causes Covid-19, as reported in some parts of the world, is actually a result of prolonged shedding of the virus complemented with occasional false positives or negatives and lab errors, argues an editorial published on Qatar Medical Journal. The article, ‘Cases and etiologies of suspected Covid-19 reactivation', featured on QScience.com and written by Abdullah Ghali, Juan Simon Rico-Mesa, Mouhamed Nashawi and Jose Cadena from the Department of Medicine, Division of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio states, “the study outlines a perspective on Covid-19 reactivation with considerations of implored commentary on behalf of the medical community regarding open discourse about this subject.” According to the researchers, “The article was written with the perspective of informing in addition to engage discussions that distill salient, evidence-based characterisation of Covid-19. We hope to recruit fellow academics in medicine who see trends in their own respective communities about people who retest, and to explore their clinical outcomes.” The article notes that preliminary findings about viral dynamics have been alarming in countries such as South Korea and China, which experienced some of the earliest interactions with Covid-19. These countries have implemented sweeping societal changes based on limited contact procedures to mitigate viral spread. However, reinfections, with rate as high as 14%, have been reported in these countries. “The period where patients have negative to positive test results ranged from 4 to 17 days, suggesting that recovered patients may need further isolation and viral detection. Considering the effects of loosening contact precautions or instituting more strict guidelines, it is necessary to consider the possibility that several patients considered to experience Covid-19 reactivation are likely to have false-positive test results,” highlights the article. As per the study, the prolonged shedding of Sars-Cov2 observed in several recorded patients may explain why certain patients have positive test results during retest. “Although some patients with a previous history of Sars-Cov2 infection may present with similar earlier symptoms, they may be incorrectly diagnosed with Covid-19 reactivation. These late symptoms can be a manifestation of a cytokine storm (a physiological reaction in humans) rather than a viral reactivation. Such findings have prompted the World Health Organisation to begin systematic investigations on the nature of long-term viral dynamics, including the half-life of Sars-Cov2,” explains the study. The study also maintains that the presence of Covid-19 reactivation or reinfection in patients who initially had RT-PCR negative test results and subsequently positive test results remains unclear. With viral load use and insufficient viral culture, available information used to formulate a conclusion is considered insufficient. The researchers of the study feel that although Sars-Cov-2 displays active replication concurrently with upper respiratory tract symptoms, viral shedding is prolonged, outlasting the resolution of symptoms, where viral load did not rapidly decline as would have been expected. It also points out that shedding reaches its maximum values in the first week of symptom onset, peaking on day four. The period where a test result changes from negative to positive ranged from 4 to 17 days, suggesting that recovered patients may need further isolation and viral detection. “Furthermore, based on the existing evidence, false-negative test results may also be observed with RT-PCR while displaying positive findings on CT scan. Although the evidence regarding the subsequent Covid-19 reactivation seems unlikely, the potential risks are significantly high to cast this differential aside. Although the potential consequences of viral reactivation may warrant further scientific studies, countries with first reports of perceived recurrence of Covid-19 positive test results, namely, South Korea and China, have yet to support these data with valid scientific evidence,” concludes the study.

A talabat rider, Mohamed Yasin, whose act of kindness in helping a differently abled person cross a busy street, has been well appreciated and the Ministry of Interior honoured him recently. Pictures of a rider helping a person in a wheelchair had gone viral on the social media. talabat released a video explaining what happened on the road and afterwards, as described by Yasin in the video. “I do not know where the man came from. I was delivering an order from McDonald's. The traffic was fast-moving and he couldn't see anything from the back,” says, Yasin in the video. “When I saw it, I had no doubt that I should help him. I parked my motorbike and asked him where he wanted to go. He pointed towards the end of the road and I helped him cross the road. "He then thanked me with all the sincerity,” Yasin explained. It seems that some motorist had taken pictures of the incident and posted it on the social media but the identity of the rider was unknown until talabat came out with the video. Yasin said in the video that he felt very happy in helping the person.“I felt happy because I helped someone in need and he was very happy about it. "My father used to tell me, 'If you help someone, somebody else will help you back.'" Yasin said he received a call from the Ministry of Interior following the incident. “They appreciated and thanked me for what I have done. They also presented me with a helmet, a jacket and shoes as a token of appreciation of my act,” he added. After the incident, talabat has promoted Yasin from a rider to a rider captain and he will manage a fleet of riders now. Mary Haji, communication manager at talabat said that the company was very proud of Yasir and his act of kindness. “Yasin has shown the values, talabat stands for and his act should be an inspiration for all the staff and encourage them to emulate and act with kindness at all situations possible," the official added.

Qatar Al Fann, an exhibition featuring functional art and highlighting Qatari art and culture by local artists, got underway at Doha Fire Station Art Gallery 4 on Tuesday and will run until October 27. The opening ceremony was attended by Dr Deepak Mittal, Indian ambassador; Khalifa al-Obaidly, director of Fire Station, Artist in Residence; Fahad al-Jahram, chief project delivery officer, Qatar, Qatari Diar; Mohamed Arqoub al-Khaldi, chairman, Supervisory Committee of Beautification of Roads and Public Places, Public Works Authority; Andrew Humphries, acting chief executive officer of Katara Hospitality and Nishad Azeem, CEO, Coastal Qatar, as well as members of the artist fraternity. Qatar Al Fann aims at transforming products like street furniture, carpets, smart lighting poles among others to functional art. The artworks selected from the competition, are now displayed at the Qatar Al Fann exhibition flaunting Qatar’s art and its heritage to the global audience. At the opening event, al-Obaidly said: “Qatar Museums supports such initiatives to engage the local artists with the art scene in Doha. The collaboration with private sector has contributed to the organisation of the event in a big way. We have been keen to encourage the role of artists in the community to explore new sectors and spaces in co-operation with local companies that provided practical opportunity for Qatari artists and residents to express their creativity through an intuitive project such as Qatar Al Fann.” “It is a very unique project with so many artists coming together. The artists have portrayed various facets of Qatar and as an expatriate, I can understand Qatar better though these art forms,” noted Indian envoy Dr Mittal. “Qatar Al Fann commenced with a contest to gather the best of artistic expressions from the local artists in Qatar. This is an effort at highlighting the art and culture of Qatar and engage the local artists in a big way. We had arranged a workshop for the artists and thereafter selected the best of the works for the exhibition through a jury. We also have plans to export these art works highlighting Qatari culture to other countries,” explained Azeem, the organiser of the exhibition. The selected products are to be utilised in public spaces, hotels, offices, parks, mosques among others both locally and on projects across the world. “Qatar Al Fann stands distinct for various reasons; the foremost of all is that the products represent Qatari heritage and are made in Qatar,” sated al-Khaldi. Coastal Qatar will organise the production of the selected products in Qatar through technology partnership with experts or manufacture them through selected sources. “Coastal Qatar feels extremely privileged to have the opportunity to promote Qatari art and heritage while providing the much deserved exposure to our artist community and support local manufacturing. Qatar Al Fann focuses to unveil the potential of our local artists by exhibiting and utilising their exquisite creations in public spaces,” added Azeem.

Qatar has launched the annual seasonal flu vaccination campaign targeting a sizeable number of population. The vaccine will be available for free for citizens and residents from Tuesday. “We have a stock of about 500,000 doses of vaccine this year against 200,000 last year. This year it is all the more important to take the flu shot due to the prevailing Covid-19 situation,” said Dr Abdullatif al-Khal, chair of the National Health Strategic Group on Covid-19 and head of the Infectious Diseases Division at Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC). The flu vaccine is available at 27 PHCC health centres, HMC outpatient clinics and designated private and semi-private clinics and hospitals across Qatar, in addition to the clinics that pertain to Qatar Armed Forces, and petroleum companies. People can avail the facility at more than 70 healthcare facilities including over 40 private clinics and hospitals as well and semi-governmental healthcare facilities. The flu vaccine will also be given to patients who receive home health care. Dr al-Khal was speaking at a press conference yesterday at the launch of the vaccination campaign along with Dr Hamad al-Romaihi, manager, Health Protection and Communicable Diseases at the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) , Dr Soha al-Bayat, head of Vaccination Unit, Health Protection and Communicable Disease Control Department at MoPH and Dr Khalid Hamid Elawad, manager, Health Protection, Preventive Health Directorate at Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC). “While flu and Covid-19 are two different viruses, it is important to ensure you are protected against the seasonal flu this year. Getting a flu shot this year is more important than ever because of Covid-19. The flu vaccine may not protect you against Covid-19, but it will reduce your risk of developing the flu and flu-related complications, and reduce the possibility of getting infected with both the flu and Covid-19 viruses at the same time. It also helps not to get confused with Covid-19 symptoms,” explained Dr al-Khal. The campaign is a joint initiative of MoPH, PHCC and HMC. “The campaign runs until February. But it is important that people get the flu shot at the earliest possible as the flu situation can be more serious in the months of December and January. Therefore it is advisable to take the flu shot at the earliest,” continued al-Khal. “The World Health Organisation has urged global widespread flu vaccinations this year, amid concerns the same people who are most vulnerable to severe symptoms from Covid-19, such as those aged over 50 and those with chronic conditions regardless of their age are also at greatest risk from the flu and its complications. We also urge children aged between six months and five years of age and pregnant women to be vaccinated against the seasonal flu. The flu can be particularly severe in pregnancy and the vaccine is highly safe and strongly recommended for pregnant women,” Dr al-Khal added. According to Dr al-Romaihi, the ministry has built a strong partnership with private healthcare providers to ensure easy access to the vaccine and increase levels of immunisation against the flu in the community. “Anyone can avail the vaccination facility at the PHCC health centres as well as at the selected semi-government and private healthcare facilities. Moreover all the measures are in place at all the health centres for safely administering the flu shot,” said Dr Elawad. “When you are going to get flu vaccine, be sure to practise everyday preventive actions. This includes wearing a mask, washing hands and keeping appropriate distance. People can either walk into their designated health centres or seek an appointment. We encourage people to go for vaccination early as it takes around two weeks for antibodies to develop and provide protection against flu," he added. Box Call 107 for an appointment People can call 107 to book an appointment to take the flu vaccine, advised Dr Abdullatif al-Khal. The flu vaccine can also be taken during visits for other appointments at the Primary Health Care Centres or the nearest health facility during the non-peak hours to avoid rush, he said. He told Qatar TV yesterday through a telephone interview that the symptoms of the seasonal flu could include body temperature of 40C, body, joints, bones and muscle pain, cough, inflammation of the upper respiratory tract, and headache. "The seasonal flu could also lead to severe complications in some people, depending on their age and health conditions and require hospitalisation, ICU admission and even result in death. The World Health Organisation reports around 650,000 cases of flu deaths a year," Dr al-Khal added.

Considering the Covid-19 scenario, people must be doubly careful in the coming months as climate transition takes place in Qatar, resulting in seasonal illnesses, leading Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) specialist Dr Mohan Thomas cautioned Friday. “Summer is over and the rainy and cold season is setting in. This is the time when many are affected with several seasonal illnesses. This year it is all the more important that we must be extremely careful as the world is still facing Covid-19 in a big way. Though we have succeeded in containing Covid-19 in Qatar to a great extent, people have to follow all the preventive and precautionary measures until a vaccine is made available,” he told Gulf Times. According to Dr Thomas, who has over three decades of experience in Qatar alone, people must not take any of the symptoms of these illnesses lightly. “Generally many people are affected by influenza in this season. Many might feel symptoms such as sneezing, running nose, cough and fever and body pain among other symptoms. Many of these symptoms are similar to Covid-19 and one has to be very careful and must seek urgent medical advice if they are affected by any of these,” he explained. The physician also warned that there is a feeling among the population that Covid-19 impact is almost over in the country. “Several people who come for consultation feel that Covid-19 is done with in Qatar. It is a false belief as the pandemic can spread again any time as we see in many countries. We have to strictly follow all the practices such as wearing mask, social distancing, using soap and sanitiser as well as maintaining personal hygiene. Until we get an effective vaccine, people must make sure that all the protocols regarding Covid-19 are in place.” Dr Thomas also advised all Qatar residents, especially the vulnerable groups, to get the flu vaccine as and when it is rolled out in the country. “Getting a flu shot is very important, especially this year in the Covid-19 scenario as it can help prevent all the seasonal illnesses for most people. Once the flu vaccine is taken, people can be rest assured that they are free from most such diseases and keep themselves fit. This will also help in fighting and preventing the spread of Covid-19. So I would advise everyone to get a flu shot when the government announces the campaign,” he pointed out. The specialist also suggested that people should not go for self-treatment in case they find any symptoms of seasonal diseases or Covid-19. “If anyone develops symptoms of seasonal illnesses or Covid-19, they should always seek expert medical attention. Self-treatment can worsen the situation and even complicate the situation. Symptoms such as fever, throat pain, and cough among others are common for both diseases. They should also be careful, if they feel loss of taste or smell or suffer from vomiting or diarrhoea. Since many symptoms are similar in both illnesses, people may get confused,” he warned. Dr Thomas pointed out that everyone have to make changes in their clothing, lifestyle as well as diet in the winter months. “One should try to wear warm and long sleeved clothing. The room temperature also should be maintained at about 24C. Have a healthy diet, with more vegetables and fruits. This will help in improving the immunity and prevent most of the diseases,” he added.

With Covid-19 wreaking havoc on the global education scenario in a big way, an international expert has highlighted that recovery strategies must emphasise on inclusion and fairness for every child. “I emphasise the importance of equity in education and the recovery strategies must include fairness and inclusion of all the students. Ensuring that all children receive effective support from their families, schools and communities is essential to the promotion of equity. These principles are explained in a recent Unesco report titled ‘Every learner matters and matters equally,’ Prof Mel Ainscow told Gulf Times. He was the keynote speaker at the Teaching & Learning Forum organised by the Pre-University Education at Qatar Foundation recently. Ainscow is a professor of education at the University of Glasgow, Emeritus Professor of Education at the University of Manchester and adjunct professor at Queensland University of Technology, Australia as well as a long-term consultant to Unesco. “Throughout the world the Covid-19 pandemic has thrown light on challenges that we knew were there before. In particular, it has shown how certain groups of students are disadvantaged as far as educational progress is concerned. These groups vary from country but those from economically poor backgrounds are a matter of particular concern,” he explained. The academic was also highly appreciative of the educational initiatives by Qatar and the leadership being provided by the Qatar Foundation in this regard. “There is no doubt that this kind of strategic leadership is vital in order to bring stakeholders together in addressing the challenges schools face in supporting the learning of all students,” he said. He noted that the teachers in this scenario have to focus on ensuring the presence, participation and progress of all students. “The implication is that teachers have to develop their practices in ways that will ensure that every child attends school regularly, feels valued and is engaged in their lessons. At the same time, schools have to be organised in ways that provide support to teachers as they address this challenge. This has significant implications for school leaders, who must make sure that this happens,” Prof Ainscow said. According to the professor of education, there is not one single model of what an inclusive school looks like. “What is common to highly inclusive schools, however, is that they are welcoming and supportive places for all of their students, not least for those with disabilities and others who experience difficulties in learning and socialisation. When schools are successful in moving in a more inclusive direction, there is usually a degree of consensus amongst adults around values of respect for difference and a commitment to offering all students access to learning opportunities,” he said. The education expert also felt that in the emerging scenario, there is likely to be a high level of staff collaboration and joint problem-solving, and similar values and commitments may extend into the student body, and amongst families and other community stakeholders associated with the school. Quoting certain findings in a research, he maintained that ‘schools know more than they use’. “This means that the starting point for strengthening the work of a school is with the sharing of existing practices through collaboration amongst staff, leading to experimentation with new practices that will reach out to all students. The use of evidence to study teaching within a school can help foster the development of practices that are more effective in reaching hard to reach learners. Specifically, this can create space for rethinking by interrupting existing discourses,” he added.

Qatar Foundation (QF) chairperson Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser Wednesday attended an online event celebrating 25 years of QF's commitment to research, innovation, and entrepreneurship. Sheikha Moza was joined by QF's senior officials and representatives of research and academic institutions from Qatar’s research, development, and innovation community. ‘Empowering Innovation’, a two-day event, is organised by QF Research, Development and Innovation's (QF RDI) division, Industry Development and Knowledge Transfer (IDKT). At the event, the winners of the award for distinguished inventor; distinguished creator and innovation of the year 2020 were announced. Dr Kareem Darwish, Distinguished Creator of the Year 2020 Dr Nimir El Bashir, Distinguished Inventor of the Year 2020 Dr Kareem Darwish of Qatar Computing Research Institute (QCRI), a part of QF’s Hamad Bin Khalifa University; Dr Nimir El Bashir of QF partner university Texas A&M University at Qatar; and Automatic Generation of Personas – a tool for generating user personas from gathering social media data by QCRI, were accorded the awards of Distinguished Creator of the Year 2020; Distinguished Inventor of the Year 2020; and Innovation of the Year 2020, respectively. The event is a celebration of QF’s dedication for the past 25 years, of driving innovation, research and entrepreneurship, fostering social development and a culture of lifelong learning, and preparing bright minds to tackle the challenges of tomorrow. Dr Richard O'Kennedy, vice president, QF RDI, opened the event highlighting the role of QF in nurturing Qatar’s innovation ecosystem. “Innovation is vital for our societies to function efficiently and absolutely necessary in achieving national and global sustainable development goals. The existing issues such as climate change, growing chronic diseases and expanding social economic disparities can’t be addressed without novel ideas and disruptive technologies. Qatar Foundation understands this reality and for the last 25 years has been instrumental in nurturing Qatar’s innovation ecosystem,” explained O’Kennedy. “Qatar Foundation has been able to address national priorities and provide impactful solutions to society’s many challenges. With contributions from many of its institutions, Qatar Foundation is bringing novel ideas and products to the global market,” he highlighted. “The research, development and innovation landscape at Qatar Foundation encompasses infrastructure, talent, and policy with stakeholders spanning academia, technology, entrepreneurship, and healthcare. This structure enables the efficient exchange of knowledge, skills, and techniques, which foster the development of the scientific community and economic growth,” he added. The event also featured the unveiling of the “Wall of Innovation”; and a keynote speech by Wesley Blakeslee, IP Policy & Innovation Infrastructure expert. Blakeslee presented an overview of QF’s initiatives in policy development relating to intellectual property and entrepreneurship, and where those initiatives place QF in progressing its innovation ecosystem. Highlighting some of the support mechanisms, QF RDI has put in place to help inventors and innovators develop their ideas into marketable products, Dr O'Kennedy outlined the features of the Innovation Coupon; the Innovation Fellowship; and Entrepreneurial Leave, as well as the Technology Venture Fund offered by Qatar Science & Technology Park. He also announced that IDKT had developed a new searchable website and complementary tools in the form of guidebooks to assist Qatar’s community members in working with QFRDI’s researchers, inventors, technologists, and entrepreneurs. Since its founding, QF has earned an increasing number of national and international patents. These successes underscore QF’s unrelenting efforts to support the development of solutions to national and global challenges, and the capability of its RDI infrastructure to develop ideas and transform them into impactful market-ready innovations. To highlight this accomplishment, Dr O'Kennedy unveiled the Digital Wall of Innovation – a virtual showcase of close to 80 patents awarded to QF in recent years, and honouring the brilliant inventors behind them. Dr O’Kennedy also recognised the key contributors for Commercial Licensing Activity, highlighting QF staff who have played vital roles in facilitating successful licensing of inventions or creative works for commercial purposes. “With these initiatives, and numerous others empowering people to invent and innovate, I am confident that we will see more patents and better solutions to national and global challenges,” added, Dr O'Kennedy. Day two of the celebration will see a high-powered panel discussion tackle the importance of focusing on Technology Maturation and Commercialisation activities to deliver more impactful results.

The World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE) will launch an edtech testbed in the Education City of Qatar Foundation very soon. “This year, in collaboration with a few select schools around Education City, WISE is planning to launch one of its most ambitious projects to date. Using technology available through the WISE Accelerator, we want to provide these local schools with access to new solutions, further the professional development of teachers and together, build a deeper understanding around edtech,” disclosed Victoria Basma, policy and partnerships officer, WISE. “We also aim to create a learning ecosystem made of researchers, practitioners and education specialists who are capable of driving innovation in education forward both here in Qatar and within the global community,” she continued. Edtech, a portmanteau of the phrase “education technology," is the combination of IT tools and educational practices aimed at facilitating and enhancing learning. According to Basma, over the last six years, WISE, a global education initiative of Qatar Foundation, has managed an Accelerator programme that has worked closely with edtech entrepreneurs. “Through this programme, we have gained valuable insight into the edtech landscape, the stakeholders in this space and the types of challenges they face. Communication between schools and edtech providers is inconsistent and they lack a shared vision for education. There is little understanding of what works in edtech and why many schools want to be part of leading innovation, but lack the culture of experimentation and testing that is required to do so. We also know that while there are a number of testbeds around the world, there remains a distinct lack of research that schools can use to make evidence based decisions around edtech,” explained Basma. The official also noted that it is all the more important to engage parents in the teaching and learning processes especially when it comes to education technologies. “Over the last couple of months, disrupted routines for both students and their families have created a great deal of anxiety over how students will be reintroduced to classrooms and what will be asked of parents to support them. Since the beginning of school closures earlier in the year, many parents have struggled to maintain their own motivation and wellbeing. While it’s important to work closely with parents over the coming weeks to ensure students are engaging with learning online, it’s also key to remember that there are limits to what we can achieve,” she said. Basma felt that both teachers and parents should be realistic about their expectations about the students. “ Our expectations of one another should remain realistic and it will be the responsibility of both sides to clearly communicate those needs and capacities. In the future, the types of data collected by edtech will likely provide an opportunity for parents to observe the incremental progress made by students over a term and perhaps even empower them to act on that data, but for now the focus should be on the basics,” she maintained. Basma also stated that during the Covid-19 pandemic, it became clear that traditional, linear structures of learning were not suitable for the blended learning approaches that schools are trying to implement. “The greatest potential for technology now lies in its ability to help educators reimagine what modern education looks like. We could even use the digital space to reimagine higher education further, by delivering course modules based on subscription, which could help solve major issues around equity and access. There is endless potential in the way we can apply technology for the future of learning, but the key is to really understand from the bottom up what the needs are and leverage technology to meet them,” added the official.

A webinar on ‘Dream Kerala’ project, an initiative of the southern Indian state's government, Friday discussed various openings and investment opportunities for returning as well as investors and entrepreneurs. Organised by Kerala Business Forum (KBF) Qatar, the webinar was attended by leading Keralite businessmen in the country who explored the business offerings in their home state. Dr Ellangovan addressing the webinar Opening the webinar, Indian ambassador Dr Deepak Mittal highlighted the importance of the Dream Kerala initiative and applauded the move especially in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic that has affected every aspect of life of the entire humanity. “Covid-19, a healthcare crisis, has run into every aspect of life and affected the economy in a huge way. About 60,000 Indians have returned from Qatar alone with many of them looking for opportunities in their home states. In this context, a project such as ‘Dream Kerala’ is an excellent initiative which is innovative and a great move to accommodate the retuning Indians and provide them with opportunities. Such efforts need to be lauded and encouraged,” said Dr Mittal. Dr Ellangovan, principal secretary, Department of Industries and Commerce, Kerala, delivered the keynote address at the webinar. According to Ellangovan, the Dream Kerala project aims to rehabilitate returnee migrants by integrating them into the state’s economic sector. He also disclosed that a total of 41,356 residents from Qatar alone have returned to Kerala while over 400,000 Keralites have moved back to the state during the pandemic. “The project provides opportunities for employment and entrepreneurship. We invite and plan to collect suggestions and ideas from everyone to be added as part of the project. From these suggestions and opinions, implementable projects and programmes will be formulated. We also want to create a skill repository of returnee migrants from Kerala for employment. Presently all these plans are expected to be formulated in 100 days,” he explained. He also outlined several measures taken by the Kerala government to make entrepreneurship and investment smoother in the state. “An expert committee will be formed to provide advice and implementation of each business idea. The licensing procedure has been made easier and smoother so that individuals or groups can get the approvals faster. There will be an investment facilitation centre and a toll free number for investors to get all the information necessary. All approvals are expected to be completed in one-week time,” added, Ellangovan. The keynote session was followed by a question and answer session where the questions were answered by Ellangovan as well as M G Rajajmanickam , managing director of Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation. Angeline Premalatha, counsellor at the Indian embassy, was the guest of honour at the event while Azim Abbas, president, Indian Business and Professional Council offered his felicitations. K R Jayaraj, president KBF and other officials of the organisation co-ordinated the webinar. Dream Kerala project was announced by Kerala government recently for rehabilitation of the Keralites returning from various countries and for the overall development of the State. The project aims, not only, the rehabilitation of the returnees but also for reviving the economy of the state using the skill and knowledge of the returnees.