Daily COVID-19 infection rates, as being reported by many countries of the region including the State of Qatar, have exceeded the previous levels reached during the peaks recorded in the summers of 2020 and 2021.
For instance Qatar reported yesterday 3,689 new confirmed cases and 3,487 new confirmed cases were reported on Saturday. Thus the cases have outpaced a previous highest reported numbers in 2020 and 2021 and same is the case all over the world. Many countries have moved towards lockdowns, but the situation in Qatar is under control and daily life activities moving smoothly thanks to the accumulated experiences on dealing with the virus over the past two years.
However, Qatar has reintroduced a set of rules and restrictions to curb the spread of the virus limiting home gatherings to 10 vaccinated people, barring unvaccinated people from entering malls and restaurants and reducing capacity limits for some commercial establishments. Schools in Qatar have reintroduced distance learning until at least January 27. The situation has also necessitated some similar restrictions on commercial activities in light of the Cabinet decision on Wednesday, where clients’ capacities for commercial complexes have been limited to 75 percent.
According to the Ministry’s official, the aim of re-imposing some restrictions on commercial activities is to protect the society and commercial establishments alike from a health point of view. Assistant Undersecretary for Commerce Affairs at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry Saleh bin Majid Al Khulaifi told QNA that “the Ministry was keen not to close any commercial activities and to emphasize maintaining the circulation of the commercial wheel, after an increase in the number of COVID-19 infections which was recently observed.”
He said that these measures come to support and stimulate activities that maintain precautionary measures, and tighten control over high-risk activities, as the absorptive capacity will be reduced in many activities, especially crowded places such as malls and restaurants. The effective management of the infection cases, provision of booster doses in time, availability of testing infrastructure, conducting awareness campaigns and strict implementation of rules and regulations have collectively played a key role in keeping the number of hospitalised cases limited.
The role of everyone in the society will remain essential and cooperation of individuals and all commercial and non-commercials institutions with health authorities is significantly important. All must adhere to social distancing and other health and safety measures imposed by the government for maintaining health of citizens and residents as well as to limit the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic and its new variant Omicron.
