* Allowances for vaccinated people as reopening plans announced
Resuming blended learning in schools at 30% capacity, operating public transport on weekends, allowing dine-in at restaurants and reopening driving schools, barbershops, gyms, swimming pools, museums and libraries, etc, are among the highlights of Phase 1 of the planned easing of Covid-19 restrictions in Qatar.
The lifting of restrictions will also be marked by various allowances for fully vaccinated people.
The details of the four-phase plan, which relies on a set of key performance indicators, were given at a press conference jointly organised by the Ministry of Public Health and Ministry of Commerce and Industry yesterday. The MoPH also issued a series of infographics explaining the lifting of restrictions.
Phase 1 is planned to begin on May 28, Phase 2 on June 18, Phase 3 on July 9 and Phase 4 on July 30.
"Public compliance with the precautionary measures will play a key role in the successful implementation of this plan," the MoPH urged the public. "Play your role in moving us towards normality: wear your mask, keep a physical distance of 1.5m from others, and take the Covid-19 vaccine when it is your turn to do so."
Following are the details of Phase 1, sector-wise:
* Education
- Allow blended learning in schools at 30% capacity.
- Continue to allow 1:5 sessions in special needs centres. All instructors must be vaccinated.
- Allow training centres to operate at 30% capacity. All trainers must be vaccinated.
- Allow the reopening of nurseries and childcare centres at a maximum capacity of 30%. All staff members must be vaccinated.
* Gatherings
- Allow social gatherings for vaccinated people with up to 10 people outdoors (or five if it includes unvaccinated people) and five people indoors. Unvaccinated people can only gather outdoors with a maximum of five people.
- Allow the continuation of daily and Friday prayers in mosques, with no children under 12 years old allowed, and the closure of toilets and ablution areas.
- Not allow wedding parties. Such parties will be allowed starting from Phase 2, with certain restrictions on venues and capacity.
* Outdoors and professional sports
- Allow groups of five people and members of the same household to gather in parks, beaches and on the Corniche, with the capacity of private beaches limited to 30%.
- Allow preparatory training for local and international tournaments approved by the Ministry of Public Health. Professional training allowed indoors and outdoors. Amateur sports training allowed for vaccinated people only with a capacity of 10 outdoors and five indoors.
- Allow selected professional sports events with a vaccinated spectator capacity of 30%, outdoors only.
* Transportation
- Allow the operation of public transport at 30% capacity, including on Fridays and Saturdays.
- Allow personal boats with a maximum capacity of 10 people (only two of whom may be unvaccinated). Excursion and touristic boats will remain suspended, while rental boats will be allowed only for families from the same household. All staff members must be vaccinated.
- Allow the reopening of driving schools at 30% capacity. Vaccinated staff are allowed to run lessons.
* Business and leisure
- Maintain workplace capacity at 50%, with essential business meetings limited to 15 vaccinated people.
- Maintain shopping malls' capacity at 30% and the closure of food courts (except for pick-up and delivery), while children under 12 years will not be allowed.
- Allow outdoor dining at 30% capacity for all restaurants, and 30% indoor (for vaccinated clients only) capacity for restaurants that are part of the Qatar Clean programme.
- Allow souqs to operate at 30% capacity, including on Fridays and Saturdays, with no children under 12 years allowed.
- Maintain the capacity of wholesale markets at 30%, with no children under 12 years allowed.
- Allow cleaning and hospitality services as follows:
At homes: Vaccinated staff can work in more than one household and each house may have more than one vaccinated staff member.
At workplaces: Vaccinated staff can operate at 30% capacity during working hours.
- Not allow conferences, exhibitions and cultural events to be held. Such events will be allowed from Phase 2, based on risk assessment by the MoPH and with restrictions on capacity.
- Allow the reopening of theme parks and leisure centres at 30% capacity outdoors. Indoor activities will be limited to vaccinated people only with a maximum capacity of 20%.
- Allow gyms and health clubs to reopen at 30% capacity only for vaccinated clients. All staff members must be vaccinated.
- Allow swimming pools and water parks to reopen at 30% capacity outdoors. Indoor activities will be limited to vaccinated people only with a maximum capacity of 20%.
- Allow the reopening of cinemas and theatres at a maximum capacity of 30% for only vaccinated people over 16 years old.
- Allow the reopening of barbershops and hairdressers at a maximum capacity of 30% for vaccinated clients. All staff members must be vaccinated.
- Allow the reopening of museums and libraries at a maximum capacity of 30%.
The details of the four-phase plan, which relies on a set of key performance indicators, were given at a press conference jointly organised by the Ministry of Public Health and Ministry of Commerce and Industry yesterday. The MoPH also issued a series of infographics explaining the lifting of restrictions.
Phase 1 is planned to begin on May 28, Phase 2 on June 18, Phase 3 on July 9 and Phase 4 on July 30.
"Public compliance with the precautionary measures will play a key role in the successful implementation of this plan," the MoPH urged the public. "Play your role in moving us towards normality: wear your mask, keep a physical distance of 1.5m from others, and take the Covid-19 vaccine when it is your turn to do so."
Following are the details of Phase 1, sector-wise:
* Education
- Allow blended learning in schools at 30% capacity.
- Continue to allow 1:5 sessions in special needs centres. All instructors must be vaccinated.
- Allow training centres to operate at 30% capacity. All trainers must be vaccinated.
- Allow the reopening of nurseries and childcare centres at a maximum capacity of 30%. All staff members must be vaccinated.
* Gatherings
- Allow social gatherings for vaccinated people with up to 10 people outdoors (or five if it includes unvaccinated people) and five people indoors. Unvaccinated people can only gather outdoors with a maximum of five people.
- Allow the continuation of daily and Friday prayers in mosques, with no children under 12 years old allowed, and the closure of toilets and ablution areas.
- Not allow wedding parties. Such parties will be allowed starting from Phase 2, with certain restrictions on venues and capacity.
* Outdoors and professional sports
- Allow groups of five people and members of the same household to gather in parks, beaches and on the Corniche, with the capacity of private beaches limited to 30%.
- Allow preparatory training for local and international tournaments approved by the Ministry of Public Health. Professional training allowed indoors and outdoors. Amateur sports training allowed for vaccinated people only with a capacity of 10 outdoors and five indoors.
- Allow selected professional sports events with a vaccinated spectator capacity of 30%, outdoors only.
* Transportation
- Allow the operation of public transport at 30% capacity, including on Fridays and Saturdays.
- Allow personal boats with a maximum capacity of 10 people (only two of whom may be unvaccinated). Excursion and touristic boats will remain suspended, while rental boats will be allowed only for families from the same household. All staff members must be vaccinated.
- Allow the reopening of driving schools at 30% capacity. Vaccinated staff are allowed to run lessons.
* Business and leisure
- Maintain workplace capacity at 50%, with essential business meetings limited to 15 vaccinated people.
- Maintain shopping malls' capacity at 30% and the closure of food courts (except for pick-up and delivery), while children under 12 years will not be allowed.
- Allow outdoor dining at 30% capacity for all restaurants, and 30% indoor (for vaccinated clients only) capacity for restaurants that are part of the Qatar Clean programme.
- Allow souqs to operate at 30% capacity, including on Fridays and Saturdays, with no children under 12 years allowed.
- Maintain the capacity of wholesale markets at 30%, with no children under 12 years allowed.
- Allow cleaning and hospitality services as follows:
At homes: Vaccinated staff can work in more than one household and each house may have more than one vaccinated staff member.
At workplaces: Vaccinated staff can operate at 30% capacity during working hours.
- Not allow conferences, exhibitions and cultural events to be held. Such events will be allowed from Phase 2, based on risk assessment by the MoPH and with restrictions on capacity.
- Allow the reopening of theme parks and leisure centres at 30% capacity outdoors. Indoor activities will be limited to vaccinated people only with a maximum capacity of 20%.
- Allow gyms and health clubs to reopen at 30% capacity only for vaccinated clients. All staff members must be vaccinated.
- Allow swimming pools and water parks to reopen at 30% capacity outdoors. Indoor activities will be limited to vaccinated people only with a maximum capacity of 20%.
- Allow the reopening of cinemas and theatres at a maximum capacity of 30% for only vaccinated people over 16 years old.
- Allow the reopening of barbershops and hairdressers at a maximum capacity of 30% for vaccinated clients. All staff members must be vaccinated.
- Allow the reopening of museums and libraries at a maximum capacity of 30%.