As part of lifting the Covid-19 restrictions gradually, the government has announced changes to the quarantine requirements for incoming passengers after reviewing the travel policy announced earlier. The changes come into effect today.

A statement issued by the Government Communications Office, said the revision was based on public health indicators in Qatar as well as around the world. From today, passengers arriving in Doha from low-risk countries are required to take a coronavirus test upon arrival at the airport, and sign a formal pledge to adhere to quarantine at home for a week.

The traveller’s status on the Ehteraz application will be yellow, which means that they are required to quarantine. After the week has elapsed, the person must go to one of the dedicated health centres to get another coronavirus test. If the result is positive, the person will be transferred to isolation, and if it is negative, the quarantine period ends and the status on the Ehteraz application will change to green. It should be noted that the list of low-risk countries will be published on the Ministry of Public Health’s website and announced by the Civil Aviation Authority.

The list of low-risk countries will be reviewed every two weeks. If there are accredited Covid-19 testing centres in one of these lowrisk countries, obtaining a Covid-free certificate from one of these centres exempts the traveller from taking the test at the airport upon arrival in the country, provided that the date of obtaining the certificate does not exceed 48 hours before travelling.

Arrivals from countries that are not included in the list of low-risk countries and in which Covid-19 testing centres have been accredited are required to obtain a virus-free certificate from there no more than 48 hours before travelling. They also should adhere to home quarantine for a week upon arrival in Doha while also following the policy and conditions applied to arrivals from the low-risk countries mentioned above.

Arrivals from other countries that are not included in the list of low-risk countries and in which there are no accredited Covid-19 testing centres will be required to quarantine in a hotel at their own expense for one week, provided that hotel accommodation is booked through the “Discover Qatar” website before arriving in Qatar.

After the week has elapsed, the ending of the quarantine period will depend on the result of a Covid-19 test. If the result is positive, the traveler will be transferred to isolation, and if it is negative, the person will commit to home quarantine for another week, in which case the status on the Ehteraz application will be yellow and will change to green after the week has passed.

Qatari citizens and their wives, spouses and children, and permanent residency holders can travel outside the country and return at any time, while adhering to all the aforementioned procedures and according to the status of the countries from where they came.

Patients receiving treatment abroad at the expense of the state of Qatar and their registered companions, and employees who are dispatched for work assignments, will be exempt from bearing the cost of the hotel, as the relevant body will cover the costs of the hotel quarantine if the traveler meets the conditions of the hotel quarantine, as explained in the statement.

Residents will be allowed to return to Qatar starting the first of August 2020. Their entry will be organised based on a series of priorities, including public health indicators, the nature of the needs of the various government and semi-government sectors and humanitarian cases, and through submitting return requests for permits via the “Qatar Portal” website based on the above-mentioned priorities.

The employer shall bear the costs of the quarantine in the dedicated facilities for blue collar workers in the private sector and domestic workers at a nominal cost after obtaining the entry permit.

Workers in the various sectors are required to coordinate the dates of travel and return with their employers.

Families and workers in the education sector must take the quarantine period into account when planning their return to Qatar in order to avoid absence during the mandatory quarantine period, whether in the designated facilities or at home.

It should also be noted that the process of issuing return permits for residents will be through the “Qatar Portal“ website until the need to organise the entry process ends, based on relevant public health indicators.

For more information regarding the process of issuing return permits to Qatar, visit the Ministry of Public Health page on Covid-19 or contact the Government Contact Centre via the hotline (109).

Source : Gulf Times

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