Cabinet extends precautionary measures to tackle COVID-19 by two weeks
Qatar continues to fight the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) with all its might. In recent weeks, the country has taken a series of measures to ensure the safety and wellbeing of its citizens and residents.
With a focus on ensuring state-of-the-art facilities to test, monitor and manage COVID-19 patients, the country is working hard to limit the spread of the infectious disease.
Yesterday, at its regular meeting, the Cabinet decided that starting from today (Thursday), the precautionary measures against COVID-19 will be extended for two weeks.
The Cabinet decided that these decisions are effective from Thursday 16/4/2020, for a period of two weeks. During this period, the situation will be evaluated to take the appropriate decision. #QNA
— Qatar News Agency (@QNAEnglish) April 15, 2020
Chaired by His Excellency the Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al Thani, the Cabinet meeting was held through video conferencing.
After the meeting, HE the Minister of Justice and Acting Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Dr Issa bin Saad al-Jafali al-Nuaimi highlighted the details of the meeting in a statement.
He outlined that the extension applies to the below mentioned preventive measures:
- Restricting the number of employees present at the headquarters of governmental establishments.
- Limiting the number of employees present at private-sector institutions.
- The employees of the public and private-sector will work for six hours a day, from 7 am to 1 pm.
- All meetings that the employees of the public and private sector present at their workplace hold should be ‘remote,’ using modern technology.
- Suspension of home cleaning services, provided by cleaning and hospitality companies, will remain in effect.
- Decreasing the number of workers transported by bus to only half the capacity of the vehicle, while following the other required precautionary measures.
- The Ministry of Commerce and Industry to continue with intensified inspections across supermarkets and restaurants to make sure compliance with health and safety precautions, including the implementation of safe distancing guidelines for shoppers.
This will be re-evaluated during the period specified to take appropriate decisions, according to Qatar News Agency.
However, as underlined by the Cabinet in its previous meeting, the sectors exempted from these restrictions include: military, security, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and diplomatic missions, health, oil and gas, employees of government agencies whose nature of work requires their presence, according to what is decided by the head of the competent authority, and workers in major State projects, Gulf Times reported.
Meanwhile, health authorities in Qatar continue to implement the highest level of monitoring, detection, and management procedures to deal with the virus, the public has been advised to follow certain measures to safeguard their health.
For any queries, or concerns related to COVID-19 in Qatar, the public can contact a 24/7 hotline set up by the Ministry. The hotline number is 16000 and is toll-free.
Here's everything you need to know about the virus, including ways to protect yourself.
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Immediately quarantine all contacts of confirmed and isolated patients. There may be 200000 to 500000 people to be isolated at this stage. There is no wait and see approach.