Doha: Qatar has scrapped the pre-arrival RT-PCR test requirement for the fully vaccinated citizens and residents of the country, as of Monday, February 28, Qatar News Agency (QNA) reported.
The changes come with the number of COVID-19 cases continuing to fall in Qatar as a result of the successful roll out of Qatar’s national COVID-19 vaccination programme.
However, an unvaccinated citizen or resident travelling from any of the countries that are subject to the red health measures will still be required to get their test done before they fly.
Significant decrease in COVID-19 infections
The ministry in a statement said that these updates coincide with the noticeable decrease in the number of COVID-19 infections in the country. This confirms the success of the national program for vaccination against COVID-19 in the country of Qatar.
The Ministry of Public Health on Saturday announced the registration of 297 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, and 779 cases of recovery, bringing the total number of people recovering from the virus in the country to 351,746 people.
The designated authorities on Saturday referred 357 people to the prosecution for COVID-19 precautionary measure violations.
The relaxation cancels the wearing of compulsory masks in open places and increases the permitted gatherings. Accordingly, citizens and residents are required to wear face masks only in closed places including mosques, educational institutions and hospitals.
On February 10, Qatar eased COVID-19-related restrictions after a significant drop in infections inside the country.
The relaxation cancels the wearing of compulsory masks in open places and increases the permitted gatherings. Accordingly, citizens and residents are required to wear face masks only in closed places including mosques, educational institutions and hospitals.
A maximum of 150 fully vaccinated people and a maximum of 20 unvaccinated people are now allowed inside the indoor wedding hall. The number rises to a maximum of 300 vaccinated people and another 50 unvaccinated in an outside hall.
The malls are allowed to operate again at full capacity, allowing access to all people, including those who have not been vaccinated. Restaurants and cafes that are certified Clean Qatar are allowed to operate at full capacity in open air areas and up to 75 per cent of their capacity indoors.
In Qatar, with a population of about 2.7 million, the COVID-19 eased measures are seen as a new step towards normalizing life.
