The Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) has announced that a detailed Ehteraz Guide is now available here on its website.
The guide features information on health status colours, Gold Frame eligibility, 'Recovered' patient status, test results linked to Ehteraz, and common Ehteraz-related questions.
"The development of Ehteraz, Qatar’s contact tracing app, provided an advanced application to support public health teams in monitoring the spread of the virus and identifying people who may be at risk of having contracted Covid-19," the overview states.
The fast development and launch of the Ehteraz app meant Qatar was one of the first countries in the world to roll out a Covid-19 contact tracing app nationally.
Mandatory for all adults in Qatar, the Ehteraz application provides a live status of each person’s current Covid-19 health and vaccination status.
* Who needs to download Ehteraz?
Ehteraz is mandatory for all residents and visitors aged 18 years or above, and anyone 12 years and above if they are travelling/accessing locations without an adult.
* How can people register for Ehteraz?
- The Ehteraz application is available to be downloaded from the App Store and Google Play. To display the health status and other relevant information, the registration needs to be completed.
- Selecting the method of registration includes entering a QID/passport/visa/GCC ID number, dependent on whether one is a resident of, or visitor to, Qatar.
* What information does Ehteraz provide for the user?
- Health Status
The Health Status display on Ehteraz confirms the Covid-19 status of the user through four colours:
1. Red - Infected: the Red status is displayed if the user has tested positive for Covid-19 after having a PCR or rapid antigen test (RAT) at an authorised medical centre in Qatar.
2. Yellow - Quarantine or Reactive: the Yellow status is displayed if the user is in quarantine, or has tested as reactive for Covid-19 after having a PCR test at an authorised medical centre in Qatar.
3. Grey - Suspected: the Grey status is displayed if the user previously had a Green status and is now awaiting the results of a PCR test.
4. Green - Negative: the Green status is displayed if the user does not have Covid-19.
- Previous Covid-19 Test Status
• Last Covid-19 test date.
• Test result with number of days since a negative test.
• 'Recovered' Status and date of recovery for previously infected individuals.
- Vaccination Status
• Covid-19 vaccine type
• Date of first dose
• Date of second dose
• Date of booster (third) dose
- Gold Frame for fully vaccinated individuals
A Gold Frame will be present around the coloured health status of users who are fully vaccinated as per the below:
• Individuals who have had two doses of MoPH-approved Covid-19 vaccines and no more than nine months have passed following administration of the second dose.
• Individuals who have received their booster dose – a booster dose will ensure the Gold Frame remains for a further nine months.
* Do unvaccinated recovered individuals receive a Gold Frame on Ehteraz?
• No. Individuals who are recovered from Covid-19 are eligible for the same privileges as vaccinated people under the current Covid-19 restrictions.
• However, these individuals will not receive a Gold Frame. To prove their recovered status, they can show the recovered date on their Ehteraz application to the relevant authorities.
* When will the Red Ehteraz Health Status return to Green for confirmed cases?
• Individuals who test positive for Covid-19 with a PCR or rapid antigen test at an approved medical centre will have their Ehteraz Health Status turned to Red for a minimum of seven days.
• These individuals will be required to have a rapid antigen test at a medical facility authorised by the ministry on Day 7.
• Any tests done before Day 7, even if a negative result is received, will not change the Ehteraz status to Green.
• If the Day 7 rapid antigen test is positive, the individual must undergo a further three days of isolation and will be given an additional three days of sick-leave. They are free to leave isolation on Day 11 with no requirement for a further test.
* What change occurs to Ehteraz if an individual has a reactive test result?
• A reactive PCR test indicates that a low level Covid-19 infection has been detected, which could be either the start or latter stages of the infection.
• Individuals who test reactive for Covid-19 with a PCR at an approved medical centre will have their Ehteraz status turned to Yellow for seven days.
• These individuals will be required to have a rapid antigen test at a medical facility authorised by the ministry on Day 7.
• If the result of this test is negative or reactive, the individual’s Ehteraz status will change to Green after midnight and they will be able to leave isolation and return to work on Day 8.
• If the Day 7 rapid antigen test is positive, the Ehteraz status will change to Red. The individual must undergo a further three days of isolation and will be given an additional three days of sick-leave, and they are free to leave isolation on Day 11 (counting from date of reactive swab) with no requirement for a further test.
* How long does it take for PCR and rapid antigen test results to be reflected in the Ehteraz Health Status?
- PCR tests
• At Primary Health Care Corporation facilities: results will be reflected in Ehteraz approximately six hours after the user receives the test result SMS.
• At private clinics and medical centres authorised by the MoPH and linked to Ehteraz: results will be reflected in Ehteraz approximately six hours after the user receives the test result SMS.
- Rapid antigen tests
• At Primary Health Care Corporation facilities: results will be reflected in Ehteraz approximately six hours after the test.
• At private clinics and medical centres authorised by the MoPH and linked to Ehteraz: results will be reflected in Ehteraz approximately six hours after the test.
* FAQs
- I believe my Ehteraz Health Status colour should have changed by now, yet it has not. What can I do?
1. Delete any VPN installed and make sure you are connected to a local network.
2. Clear the cache.
3. Restart the device.
4. Delete the Ehteraz app and then reinstal.
5. Ensure that the latest version of the Ehteraz app is installed.
- I took my RAT at a private clinic, but my Ehteraz has not changed after six hours.
Call the clinic to ensure they uploaded the result to the MoPH/Hamad Medical Corportation systems.
- I was vaccinated outside Qatar. How do I request for the Gold Frame?
• Individuals can verify their vaccination abroad via the MoPH by calling 16000 who will take all the information and copies of the vaccination certificates from abroad, and send the information to be verified. If verified, it will be uploaded to Ehteraz.
• Even if the vaccination information from outside Qatar is sent to Ehteraz, official MoPH vaccination certificates from Qatar are not available for those individuals who received all vaccine doses from abroad, and the individual should rely on the vaccination certificate from the country where they received the vaccination.
- Will I lose my Gold Frame if I have not received my booster vaccine dose?
• From February 1, individuals whose second Covid-19 vaccine dose was more than nine months ago, and who have not received their booster dose, will be considered unvaccinated and will lose their Gold Frame status on Ehteraz.
• Receiving a booster vaccine dose will reinstate their Gold Frame status for a further nine months.
Those who have recovered from Covid-19 will be treated as immunised individuals for nine months from their recovery date.
- How can I get support for a technical issue related to Ehteraz?
You can call 109 for advice and help with technical issues.
The guide features information on health status colours, Gold Frame eligibility, 'Recovered' patient status, test results linked to Ehteraz, and common Ehteraz-related questions.
"The development of Ehteraz, Qatar’s contact tracing app, provided an advanced application to support public health teams in monitoring the spread of the virus and identifying people who may be at risk of having contracted Covid-19," the overview states.
The fast development and launch of the Ehteraz app meant Qatar was one of the first countries in the world to roll out a Covid-19 contact tracing app nationally.
Mandatory for all adults in Qatar, the Ehteraz application provides a live status of each person’s current Covid-19 health and vaccination status.
* Who needs to download Ehteraz?
Ehteraz is mandatory for all residents and visitors aged 18 years or above, and anyone 12 years and above if they are travelling/accessing locations without an adult.
* How can people register for Ehteraz?
- The Ehteraz application is available to be downloaded from the App Store and Google Play. To display the health status and other relevant information, the registration needs to be completed.
- Selecting the method of registration includes entering a QID/passport/visa/GCC ID number, dependent on whether one is a resident of, or visitor to, Qatar.
* What information does Ehteraz provide for the user?
- Health Status
The Health Status display on Ehteraz confirms the Covid-19 status of the user through four colours:
1. Red - Infected: the Red status is displayed if the user has tested positive for Covid-19 after having a PCR or rapid antigen test (RAT) at an authorised medical centre in Qatar.
2. Yellow - Quarantine or Reactive: the Yellow status is displayed if the user is in quarantine, or has tested as reactive for Covid-19 after having a PCR test at an authorised medical centre in Qatar.
3. Grey - Suspected: the Grey status is displayed if the user previously had a Green status and is now awaiting the results of a PCR test.
4. Green - Negative: the Green status is displayed if the user does not have Covid-19.
- Previous Covid-19 Test Status
• Last Covid-19 test date.
• Test result with number of days since a negative test.
• 'Recovered' Status and date of recovery for previously infected individuals.
- Vaccination Status
• Covid-19 vaccine type
• Date of first dose
• Date of second dose
• Date of booster (third) dose
- Gold Frame for fully vaccinated individuals
A Gold Frame will be present around the coloured health status of users who are fully vaccinated as per the below:
• Individuals who have had two doses of MoPH-approved Covid-19 vaccines and no more than nine months have passed following administration of the second dose.
• Individuals who have received their booster dose – a booster dose will ensure the Gold Frame remains for a further nine months.
* Do unvaccinated recovered individuals receive a Gold Frame on Ehteraz?
• No. Individuals who are recovered from Covid-19 are eligible for the same privileges as vaccinated people under the current Covid-19 restrictions.
• However, these individuals will not receive a Gold Frame. To prove their recovered status, they can show the recovered date on their Ehteraz application to the relevant authorities.
* When will the Red Ehteraz Health Status return to Green for confirmed cases?
• Individuals who test positive for Covid-19 with a PCR or rapid antigen test at an approved medical centre will have their Ehteraz Health Status turned to Red for a minimum of seven days.
• These individuals will be required to have a rapid antigen test at a medical facility authorised by the ministry on Day 7.
• Any tests done before Day 7, even if a negative result is received, will not change the Ehteraz status to Green.
• If the Day 7 rapid antigen test is positive, the individual must undergo a further three days of isolation and will be given an additional three days of sick-leave. They are free to leave isolation on Day 11 with no requirement for a further test.
* What change occurs to Ehteraz if an individual has a reactive test result?
• A reactive PCR test indicates that a low level Covid-19 infection has been detected, which could be either the start or latter stages of the infection.
• Individuals who test reactive for Covid-19 with a PCR at an approved medical centre will have their Ehteraz status turned to Yellow for seven days.
• These individuals will be required to have a rapid antigen test at a medical facility authorised by the ministry on Day 7.
• If the result of this test is negative or reactive, the individual’s Ehteraz status will change to Green after midnight and they will be able to leave isolation and return to work on Day 8.
• If the Day 7 rapid antigen test is positive, the Ehteraz status will change to Red. The individual must undergo a further three days of isolation and will be given an additional three days of sick-leave, and they are free to leave isolation on Day 11 (counting from date of reactive swab) with no requirement for a further test.
* How long does it take for PCR and rapid antigen test results to be reflected in the Ehteraz Health Status?
- PCR tests
• At Primary Health Care Corporation facilities: results will be reflected in Ehteraz approximately six hours after the user receives the test result SMS.
• At private clinics and medical centres authorised by the MoPH and linked to Ehteraz: results will be reflected in Ehteraz approximately six hours after the user receives the test result SMS.
- Rapid antigen tests
• At Primary Health Care Corporation facilities: results will be reflected in Ehteraz approximately six hours after the test.
• At private clinics and medical centres authorised by the MoPH and linked to Ehteraz: results will be reflected in Ehteraz approximately six hours after the test.
* FAQs
- I believe my Ehteraz Health Status colour should have changed by now, yet it has not. What can I do?
1. Delete any VPN installed and make sure you are connected to a local network.
2. Clear the cache.
3. Restart the device.
4. Delete the Ehteraz app and then reinstal.
5. Ensure that the latest version of the Ehteraz app is installed.
- I took my RAT at a private clinic, but my Ehteraz has not changed after six hours.
Call the clinic to ensure they uploaded the result to the MoPH/Hamad Medical Corportation systems.
- I was vaccinated outside Qatar. How do I request for the Gold Frame?
• Individuals can verify their vaccination abroad via the MoPH by calling 16000 who will take all the information and copies of the vaccination certificates from abroad, and send the information to be verified. If verified, it will be uploaded to Ehteraz.
• Even if the vaccination information from outside Qatar is sent to Ehteraz, official MoPH vaccination certificates from Qatar are not available for those individuals who received all vaccine doses from abroad, and the individual should rely on the vaccination certificate from the country where they received the vaccination.
- Will I lose my Gold Frame if I have not received my booster vaccine dose?
• From February 1, individuals whose second Covid-19 vaccine dose was more than nine months ago, and who have not received their booster dose, will be considered unvaccinated and will lose their Gold Frame status on Ehteraz.
• Receiving a booster vaccine dose will reinstate their Gold Frame status for a further nine months.
Those who have recovered from Covid-19 will be treated as immunised individuals for nine months from their recovery date.
- How can I get support for a technical issue related to Ehteraz?
You can call 109 for advice and help with technical issues.