Qatar and COVID-19, Part 6: Can Qatar Preserve Gains as it Enters Phase 4 Reopening?
The Next Balancing Act
Between Greater Social Interaction
and
Public Health Protection
On September 1, Qatar moved into the Phase 4 reopening process, adopting a cautious 2-step approach.
The first phase will include the following:
• Reopening of all mosques in the country to perform daily and Friday prayers, provided that precautionary measures are followed. Toilets and ablution facilities remain closed.
• Continuing to follow the Council of Ministers’ decision, which limits the capacity in workplaces to a maximum of 80% of employees in both the public and private sectors.
• Allowing gatherings of a maximum of 15 people indoors and 30 people outdoors.
• Allowing weddings with a maximum of 40 people indoors and 80 people outdoors, provided that precautionary measures are followed, including activating the Ehteraz application, maintaining a distance of two meters between tables with a maximum of 5 people per table, and avoiding handshakes and kisses while greeting. Individuals holding parties at home, as well as managers of wedding venues, are required to keep records of the contact information of all invitees.
• Opening of cinemas and theaters with a capacity of 15%, provided that precautionary measures are followed and that only people who are 18 years and above are allowed entry.
•Playgrounds and leisure centres remain closed.
• Allowing local exhibitions with a capacity of 30%, according to the procedures which will be announced by the National Tourism Council.
• Resuming metro and public transport services with a capacity of 30% according to the procedures which will be announced by the Ministry of Transport and Communications.
• Continuing to allow personal boats and yacht rentals with a capacity of 30%, including boat workers.
• Continuing to follow Qatar’s travel policy. The Ministry of Public Health will continue to update the list of low-risk countries periodically.
• Continuing the operation of driving schools with a capacity of 50%.
• Continuing the suspension of summer camps, as well as the use of sports equipment, in public parks.
• Allowing audiences to attend sporting events with a capacity of 20% indoors and 30% outdoors, according to procedures which will be announced by the relevant authorities.
• Allowing private health clinics to resume work in full capacity.
• Continuing normal working hours at malls while keeping capacity to 50%, and opening food courts in malls with a capacity of 30%. Allowing children to enter malls.
• Allowing the increase in restaurant capacity starting with 30%, according to the procedures which will be set by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
• Allowing souks to operate with a 75% capacity and raising the capacity at wholesale markets to 50%.
• Allowing museums and public libraries to operate in full capacity and normal hours provided that all precautionary measures are followed.
• Continuing the work of health clubs, gyms and public swimming pools at half capacity (50%) and allowing massage and sauna services at a capacity of 30% in approved facilities, as well as opening indoor swimming pools at a capacity of 30%.
• Continuing the suspension of home services of beauty, barber, massage, and fitness training.
• Continuing the work of private education and training centers at a capacity of 50%.
• Resuming cleaning and hospitality services in workplaces at a capacity of 30% as well as allowing the resumption of these services at homes.
• Reopening of all mosques in the country to perform daily and Friday prayers, provided that precautionary measures are followed. Toilets and ablution facilities remain closed.
• Continuing to follow the Council of Ministers’ decision, which limits the capacity in workplaces to a maximum of 80% of employees in both the public and private sectors.
• Allowing gatherings of a maximum of 15 people indoors and 30 people outdoors.
• Allowing weddings with a maximum of 40 people indoors and 80 people outdoors, provided that precautionary measures are followed, including activating the Ehteraz application, maintaining a distance of two meters between tables with a maximum of 5 people per table, and avoiding handshakes and kisses while greeting. Individuals holding parties at home, as well as managers of wedding venues, are required to keep records of the contact information of all invitees.
• Opening of cinemas and theaters with a capacity of 15%, provided that precautionary measures are followed and that only people who are 18 years and above are allowed entry.
•Playgrounds and leisure centres remain closed.
• Allowing local exhibitions with a capacity of 30%, according to the procedures which will be announced by the National Tourism Council.
• Resuming metro and public transport services with a capacity of 30% according to the procedures which will be announced by the Ministry of Transport and Communications.
• Continuing to allow personal boats and yacht rentals with a capacity of 30%, including boat workers.
• Continuing to follow Qatar’s travel policy. The Ministry of Public Health will continue to update the list of low-risk countries periodically.
• Continuing the operation of driving schools with a capacity of 50%.
• Continuing the suspension of summer camps, as well as the use of sports equipment, in public parks.
• Allowing audiences to attend sporting events with a capacity of 20% indoors and 30% outdoors, according to procedures which will be announced by the relevant authorities.
• Allowing private health clinics to resume work in full capacity.
• Continuing normal working hours at malls while keeping capacity to 50%, and opening food courts in malls with a capacity of 30%. Allowing children to enter malls.
• Allowing the increase in restaurant capacity starting with 30%, according to the procedures which will be set by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
• Allowing souks to operate with a 75% capacity and raising the capacity at wholesale markets to 50%.
• Allowing museums and public libraries to operate in full capacity and normal hours provided that all precautionary measures are followed.
• Continuing the work of health clubs, gyms and public swimming pools at half capacity (50%) and allowing massage and sauna services at a capacity of 30% in approved facilities, as well as opening indoor swimming pools at a capacity of 30%.
• Continuing the suspension of home services of beauty, barber, massage, and fitness training.
• Continuing the work of private education and training centers at a capacity of 50%.
• Resuming cleaning and hospitality services in workplaces at a capacity of 30% as well as allowing the resumption of these services at homes.
Officials have imposed a home quarantine program for people arriving from a number of "low-risk" countries. However, they have made daily arrests of people violating the quarantine rules. These people will face prosecution and their names appear in local news sources.
Officials have successfully kept new infections below 300 cases per day, with ICU admissions continuing to drop in the first weeks of September into the high-50s. Active cases hover just below 3,000. They report that most cases are community infections tied to family interactions.
People continue to track news about possible vaccines. While the CDC in the US suggests that a vaccine will be available in November 2020, this article provided a very helpful summary of the progress in vaccine development and the strategies scientists are using to create vaccines.
This blog provides easy access to trends in infection, hospitalization, and deaths and to the ongoing changes in government policy in light of infection rates.
For a summary of what we know about the virus, see here.
These charts trace the history of the pandemic in Qatar.
This Twitter account, FacesOfCOVID, is humanizing the loss in the US by presenting the individual stories of persons who have died of COVD-19.
This is still one of the best articles I've found on the public health strategy for handling the pandemic. It's called "Coronovirus: The Hammer and the Dance."
Qatar's Response to the Pandemic: The Ongoing Timeline
What follows is a time-line I created to track mostly Qatar's response to the pandemic, Tangentially and for comparison, it refers to developments in the US, China, EU, and other countries. For its sourcing, I have relied on The Peninsula Qatar, Gulf News, Gulf Times, Qatar Tribune, Al Jazzeera, the New York Times, and the Washington Post. I often reproduce content from the original source without using quotation marks, but I always include a link to the original source.
I include photos that tie to the more important posts, so you can use them to help locate specific information.
I pick-up my daily updates here. My updates for December 31, 2019 to April 30, 2020, appear in my Part 1 post. Posts for Part 2, May 1 to May 31, appear here. Posts for Part 3, June 1 to June 30, appear here. Posts for Part 4, July 1 to July 31, appear here. Posts for Part 5, August 1 to August 31, appear here.
What follows is a time-line I created to track mostly Qatar's response to the pandemic, Tangentially and for comparison, it refers to developments in the US, China, EU, and other countries. For its sourcing, I have relied on The Peninsula Qatar, Gulf News, Gulf Times, Qatar Tribune, Al Jazzeera, the New York Times, and the Washington Post. I often reproduce content from the original source without using quotation marks, but I always include a link to the original source.
I include photos that tie to the more important posts, so you can use them to help locate specific information.
I pick-up my daily updates here. My updates for December 31, 2019 to April 30, 2020, appear in my Part 1 post. Posts for Part 2, May 1 to May 31, appear here. Posts for Part 3, June 1 to June 30, appear here. Posts for Part 4, July 1 to July 31, appear here. Posts for Part 5, August 1 to August 31, appear here.
Sept 1: Qatar reported 216 new cases, bringing total to 118,994. Officials have tested 634,745 people, with 4,914 tests taken in the last 24 hours. Recovered cases stand at 115,895. ICU patients currently number 65, with 5 admissions in the last 24 hours. Persons aged 81 died bringing the death toll to 198. Active cases total 2,901.
Ministry of Public Health has revised the list of low risk countries on its website. People travelling from these countries to Qatar can do home quarantine for a week after taking a COVID-19 test at the airport. The revised list has 41 countries, adding Uruguay.
Cinemas may screen movies with a capacity of 15%. The cinemas must follow precautionary measures and only people above 18 years are allowed entry.
Sept 2: Qatar reported 212 new cases, bringing total to 119,206. Officials have tested 639,742 people, with 4,997 tests taken in the last 24 hours. Recovered cases stand at 116,111. ICU patients currently number 60, with 2 admissions in the last 24 hours. The death toll stands at 2199. Active cases total 2,896.
Officials arrested eight persons who violated home quarantine rules, referred them for prosecution, and published their names in local news sources.
Schools open for elementary and upper levels students with precautionary measures in place. The Ministry of Public Health has clarified that COVID-19 testing for students is not mandatory and will be subject to parental consent.
Some of the reinfections detected may not be true reinfections. Prof. Abu-Raddad explained, “It is possible that some of those infected persons may not have completely eliminated the first infection, or one of their tests could have been a false positive. We plan to shortly start genetic sequencing of these reinfections to compare the genetic code of the virus in the first infection and the reinfection for the final verification on each identified reinfection.”
Sept. 3: Qatar reported 214 new cases, bringing total to 119,420. Officials have tested 644,904 people, with 5,162 tests taken in the last 24 hours. Recovered cases stand at 116,313. ICU patients currently number 58, with 3 admissions in the last 24 hours. Persons aged 74 and 79 died bringing the death toll to 201. Active cases total 2,906.
Officials arrested four persons who violated home quarantine rules, referred them for prosecution, and published their names in local news sources.
Twelve more nurseries may open. They are Noor International Kindergarten, Fairy Tales – West Bay, Blooming Bud's, Cambridge Stars, Take Care of My Baby, The Learning Tree, Springfield, Blossom 2, Fairy Tales-ِAin Khalid, Child Corner, Baby Garden, and Mickey Mouse.
Students may be exempted from in-person classes if they suffer from chronic diseases or have a first degree relative with a chronic disease living in the same house. They may be eligible to apply for an approved medical certificate and submit this to their school along with their national address certificate.
As educational institutions reopen over the weeks across the region, including in Qatar, World Health Organisation’s Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean (WHO EMRO) has urged people to adhere all precautionary measures against the spread of COVID-19.Sept. 4: Qatar reported 217 new cases, bringing total to 119,637. Officials have tested 650,248 people, with 5,344 tests taken in the last 24 hours. Recovered cases stand at 116,538. ICU patients currently number 54, with 3 admissions in the last 24 hours. The death toll stands at 201.
Officials arrested four individuals for violating home quarantine, referred them for prosecution, and published their names in local news sources.
The Ministry of Interior announced that marine vessels may operate at a 30% maximum capacity, including the crew.
Experts warn that US deaths could double by the end of the year.
The global death toll from the coronavirus pandemic could triple by year’s end, with an additional 1.9 million deaths, while a fall wave of infections could drive fatalities in the United States to 410,000, according to a new forecast from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington. The estimate reinforces warnings by many experts that cooler, drier weather and increased time spent indoors could boost viral transmission in the Northern Hemisphere surge this fall and winter — something typically seen with other respiratory viruses.
Sept. 9: Qatar reported 267 new cases, bringing total to 120,846. ICU patients currently number 51, with 2 admissions in the last 24 hours. The death toll stands at 205. Active cases total 2,895.
Sept. 5: Qatar reported 227 new cases, bringing total to 119,864. Officials have tested 654,973 people, with 4,725 tests taken in the last 24 hours. Recovered cases stand at 116,780. ICU patients currently number 51, with 3 admissions in the last 24 hours. A 71-year old died bringing the death toll to 202.
Officials provide a back-to-school protocol. Official suggests parents should not be concerned about children returning to school.
Sept. 6: Qatar reported 231 new cases, bringing total to 120,095. Officials have tested 660,008 people, with 5,035 tests taken in the last 24 hours. Recovered cases stand at 116,998. ICU patients currently number 49, with 3 admissions in the last 24 hours. A 47-year old died bringing the death toll to 203.
Officials arrested six persons who violated home quarantine rules, referred them for prosecution, and published their names in local news sources.
Sept. 7: Qatar reported 253 new cases, bringing total to 120,348. ICU patients currently number 59, with 8 admissions in the last 24 hours. The death toll stands at 205, with the deaths of 71- and 76-year olds. Active cases total 2,902.
Sept. 8: Qatar reported 231 new cases, bringing total to 120,579. ICU patients currently number 49, with 4 admissions in the last 24 hours. The death toll stands at 205. Active cases total 2,877.
Dr. Abdullatif Al Khal, Chair of the National Strategic Group on COVID-19 and Head of the Infectious Diseases Division at Hamad Medical Corporation, has said that the next wave of COVID-19 infections is expected to be weaker than the previous one, due to the timely and effective measures taken by the concerned authorities. “The wave that we experienced in the second half of May and the first week of June was a relatively large, and we do not expect to witness it again. There may be small waves until the end of the year that sometimes may rise and subside, but it would not reach the same level that we experienced before.”Officials update regulations for gyms operating in Qatar. Gyms should adhere to the precautionary measures and preventive measures set by the Ministry of Public Health and the Ministry of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Affairs and they must apply the following guidelines:
- Limit the capacity of the gymnasium to only 30% of the total space.
- Measure the temperature of employees and members at the entrances and not allow individuals whose temperature exceeds 38 degrees Celsius to enter the gym.
- Employees and members should be allowed inside only after checking the green colour code in Ehteraz app
- Employees and members are required to wear masks while they are inside the gym.
- Require employees and clients to maintain social distancing of not less than 3 meters and the area surrounding one must not be less than 2 square meters in all directions. It is forbidden to hold exercises in groups and the trainer is allowed to train only one person at a time with a commitment to maintaining physical distancing of at least 3 meters.
- Gyms are obligated to close toilets and changing rooms. Providing hand sanitizers and soap in all gym facilities.
- Urge customers to bring their own towels, sanitizers and water bottles.
- Gym personnel must clean and sanitize equipment and tools every two hours.
Worldwide, the virus has infected 27.3 million people, with 891,999 confirmed deaths.
Sept. 9: Qatar reported 267 new cases, bringing total to 120,846. ICU patients currently number 51, with 2 admissions in the last 24 hours. The death toll stands at 205. Active cases total 2,895.
Qatari authorities arrested five men for violating home quarantine.
Gym-goers were exposed to a person with COVID-19, and officials urged them to seek testing.
Nine drug companies issued a joint pledge on Tuesday that they would “stand with science” and not put forward a vaccine until it had been thoroughly vetted for safety and efficacy. The companies did not rule out seeking an emergency authorization of their vaccines, but promised that any potential coronavirus vaccine would be decided based on “large, high quality clinical trials” and that the companies would follow guidance from regulatory agencies like the Food and Drug Administration.
India logged more than 90,000 new covid-19 cases — a daily count global record — and overtook Brazil as the country with the second-highest number of cases worldwide. India has more than 4.2 million confirmed cases. Only the United States, with 6.3 million cases, has a higher covid-19 count. More than 72,000 Indians reportedly have died from the virus — far fewer fatalities than in the United States or Brazil. India’s predominantly young population could be one reason for the lower fatality rate. But many scientists believe covid-19 fatalities in India are also vastly underreported. Information on suspected deaths from covid-19 is not publicly available. Official numbers exclude those who never received a test. Deaths are often attributed to comorbidities instead.
The Ministry of Public Health has clarified that passengers coming from low-risk countries will have to undergo a swab test on the sixth day after arriving in Doha. It said that Ehteraz status will be yellow till they complete their seven-day quarantine and get a negative result in the swab test.
Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) has provided advice for people planning international travel to take precautions and help maintain their wellbeing.
The Ministry of Commerce and Industry is conducting daily inspections on all malls, cafes and other commercial outlets in different areas of the country to ensure implementation of preventive measures to limit the spread of coronavirus.
India said on Sunday it was considering granting an emergency authorization for a COVID-19 vaccine, particularly for the elderly and people in high-risk workplaces, as the country's number of reported infections passed 4.75 million. India, which has consistently reported over 1,000 COVID-19 deaths daily this month, has now recorded 78,586 fatalities from the disease. It lags only the United States globally in the overall number of infections, but it has been adding more daily cases than the United States since mid-August.
Dr. Abdullatif Al Khal, Chair of the National Strategic Group on COVID-19 and Head of the Infectious Diseases Division at Hamad Medical Corporation, said that out of more than 350,000 students and over 35,000 teachers in Qatar less than 0.2 percent have tested positive since schools reopened.
Officials have announced that Qatar has become one of the first countries in the world to launch of a new saliva-based COVID-19 test for all children who require a COVID-19 test. The saliva-based test is less intrusive for children as it does not require a swab to be inserted into the nose and back of the throat like the current standard swab. The tests are highly accurate.
The Department of Mosques at the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs had instructed in the beginning of the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic in Qatar to reduce the waiting time between the call to prayer and prayer to five minutes for all prayers as part of preventive measures. The wait time is now 20 minutes.
Gatherings
Adviser to the Minister of Education and Higher Education, Mohamad Al Bashri, has said that the choice of parents to continue with either blended learning or distance learning for their children will be final until the end of the first semester for the academic year 2020-21. “For example, if a parent has chosen blended learning for his child so they will be obligated to continue with this way of learning to the end of first semester,” said Mohamad Al Bashri who is also holding the position of Director of Public Relation and Communication Department while talking to a Qatar TV programme yesterday.
The director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention predicted Wednesday that most of the American public will not have access to a vaccine against the novel coronavirus until late spring or summer of next year — prompting a public rebuke from President Trump, who declared the CDC chief was wrong. Redfield said the vaccine will be provided first to people most vulnerable to covid-19, the disease caused by the virus, and supplies will increase over time, with Americans who are considered at lower risk offered the shot more gradually. For it to be “fully available to the American public, so we begin to take advantage of vaccine to get back to our regular life,” he said, “I think we are probably looking at late second quarter, third quarter 2021.” WHO agrees.
Health-care workers account for 1 in 7 coronavirus cases recorded by the World Health Organization, the U.N. agency said this week. “Globally, around 14 percent of covid-19 cases reported to WHO are among health workers, and in some countries it’s as much as 35 percent,” WHO director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at a news conference in Geneva. The figures are disproportionate: Data collected by the WHO suggests that health workers represent less than 3 percent of the population in the majority of countries and less than 2 percent in almost all low- and middle-income countries. But the WHO’s data, released to mark World Patient Safety Day on Thursday, fits with other estimates. In April, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that health-care workers accounted for 11 percent to 16 percent of covid-19 cases during the first surge of infections in the United States.
Britain could face 50,000 coronavirus cases a day by mid-October if it stays on its current trajectory, top government scientists warned.
The US Food and Drug Administration is expected to spell out a tough new standard for an emergency authorization of a coronavirus vaccine as soon as this week that will make it exceedingly difficult for any vaccine to be cleared before Election Day. The agency is issuing the guidance to boost transparency and public trust as it approaches the momentous decision of whether a prospective vaccine is safe and effective. Public health experts are increasingly worried that President Trump’s repeated predictions of a coronavirus vaccine by Nov. 3, coupled with the administration’s interference in federal science agencies, may prompt Americans to reject any vaccine as rushed and potentially tainted.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that Britain has reached a "perilous turning point" in the coronavirus pandemic as he introduced new curfews on pubs and restaurants in England and encouraged remote working — restrictions that could remain in place for six months. Johnson outlined a raft of new constraints aimed at reversing a spike in coronavirus cases. Starting Thursday, pubs and restaurants will offer table service only and have to close by 10 p.m. Johnson also said that if people can work from home, they should — an about-face from a previous push by the government for people to return to their workplaces and help revive city centers. In addition, masks will be mandatory for retail workers, taxi drivers and bar and restaurant staffs, as well as customers when they are not seated at a table, the prime minister said.
The first coronavirus vaccine that aims to protect people with a single shot has entered the final stages of testing in the United States in an international trial that will recruit up to 60,000 participants. The experimental vaccine being developed by pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson is the fourth vaccine to enter the large, Phase 3 trials in the United States that will determine whether they are effective and safe.
Scientists in Houston released a study of more than 5,000 genetic sequences of the coronavirus that reveals the virus’s continual accumulation of mutations, one of which may have made it more contagious.
The world will officially record 1 million deaths from Covid-19 in the next few days, but the real tally might be almost double that. The actual fatalities from the worst pandemic in a century may be closer to 1.8 million -- a toll that could grow to as high as 3 million by the end of the year, said Alan Lopez, a laureate professor and director of the University of Melbourne’s global burden of disease group.
The pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca halted global trials of its coronavirus vaccine on Tuesday because of a serious and unexpected adverse reaction in a participant. The participant had been enrolled in a Phase 2/3 trial based in the United Kingdom. The individual also said that a volunteer in the U.K. trial had been found to have transverse myelitis, an inflammatory syndrome that affects the spinal cord and is often sparked by viral infections. However, the timing of this diagnosis, and whether it was directly linked to AstraZeneca’s vaccine, is unclear. AstraZeneca’s vaccine is currently in Phase 2/3 trials in England and India, and in Phase 3 trials in Brazil, South Africa and more than 60 sites in the United States. The company intended for its U.S. enrollment to reach 30,000. AstraZeneca is one of three companies whose vaccines are in late-stage clinical trials in the United States.
Maybe we should think of Covid-19 as a heart disease. When SARS-CoV-2 virus was added to human heart cells grown in lab dishes, the long muscle fibers that keep hearts beating were diced into short bits, alarming scientists at the San Francisco-based Gladstone Institutes, especially after they saw a similar phenomenon in heart tissue from Covid-19 patients’ autopsies. Their experiments could potentially explain why some people still feel short of breath after their Covid infections clear and add to worries that survivors may be at risk for future heart failure. A senior investigator at Gladstone and a co-author said the “carnage in the human cells” they saw was unlike anything that’s been previously described with other diseases. “Nothing that we see in the published literature is like this in terms of this exact cutting and precise dicing. We should think about this as not only a pulmonary disease, but also potentially a cardiac one.” Looking like they were surgically sliced, fiber fragments known as sarcomeres bore no resemblance to the disintegration seen in other acquired or hereditary diseases of the heart muscle, the scientists said. And in another mystery, there were black holes where DNA should have been in the nucleus of these cells, leaving just an empty shell. Their observations were made using high-magnification imaging to capture what happens in the first 48 hours after exposure to the virus that causes Covid-19. The new study still needs peer-review.
Sept. 10: Qatar reported 206 new cases, bringing total to 121,052. ICU patients currently number 47, with 3 admissions in the last 24 hours. The death toll stands at 205. Active cases total 2,869.
Sept. 11: Qatar reported 235 new cases, bringing total to 121,287. ICU patients currently number 50, with 7 admissions in the last 24 hours. The death toll stands at 205. Active cases total 2,883.
Qatari authorities arrested two men for violating home quarantine.
Sept. 12: Qatar reported 236 new cases, bringing total to 121,523. ICU patients currently number 48, with 1 admission in the last 24 hours. The death toll stands at 205. Active cases total 2,843.
Latin America has been unable to flatten the curve. Brazil, Peru, Mexico, Colombia and now Argentina make up half the global top 10 in total coronavirus cases. Add Chile, Bolivia and Ecuador, and Latin America accounts for eight of the 12 countries suffering the most deaths per capita. (The United States leads the world in coronavirus cases and deaths.) The region suffers from a range of preexisting conditions. The population is more urbanized than in Europe, Oceania, Asia or Africa. Covid-19 has scythed its way through the urban slums of Sao Paulo in Brazil, Lima in Peru, Buenos Aires and Mexico City. Close quarters and multigenerational households have undermined attempts at social distancing. Inequality is high, health care uneven and safety nets limited. The region’s many poor people must work to live, and they have routinely violated lockdowns to eat. Porous borders have made it difficult to quarantine infected travelers. As in the United States, erratic leadership has also played a role, particularly in hard-hit Brazil under coronavirus skeptic Jair Bolsonaro and in Mexico under Andrés Manuel López Obrador. Some countries haven’t even tried contact tracing, which health experts say is key to containing the virus.
Sept. 13: Qatar reported 217 new cases, bringing total to 121,740. ICU patients currently number 50, with 4 admissions in the last 24 hours. The death toll stands at 205. Active cases total 2,853.
Qatari authorities arrested three men for violating home quarantine.
Indonesia reported its sixth consecutive day of over 3,000 new cases of novel coronavirus infection, just as the capital city of Southeast Asia's most populous country prepares to re-impose social distancing restrictions. New infections on Sunday reached 3,636 with new deaths at 73, showed data from the health ministry's website. That brought the total number of infections to 218,382 and deaths to 8,723.
Sept. 14: Qatar reported 235 new cases, bringing total to 121,975. ICU patients currently number 55, with 5 admissions in the last 24 hours. The death toll stands at 207, with the death of a 80- and 81-year old. Active cases total 2,837.
Qatar authorities arrested two men for violating home quarantine.
Officials have announced that Qatar has become one of the first countries in the world to launch of a new saliva-based COVID-19 test for all children who require a COVID-19 test. The saliva-based test is less intrusive for children as it does not require a swab to be inserted into the nose and back of the throat like the current standard swab. The tests are highly accurate.
Sept. 15: Qatar reported 239 new cases, bringing total to 122,214. ICU patients currently number 55, with 6 admissions in the last 24 hours. The death toll stands at 208, with the death of a 82-year old. Active cases total 2,862.
PHCC offers parents guidance about how to keep kids safe as they return to school.
Population health experts at Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar have published research examining why COVID-19 poses such a severe threat to older people compared to other age groups. The paper highlights that 80 percent of deaths in confirmed COVID-19 cases in the United States have been in adults aged over 65, and that data from April 2020 shows a COVID-19 mortality rate of 4–11 percent for those aged 65-84 and 10-25 percent in those aged 85 and over. Physiologically, old age is associated with a diminished immune system, cognitive impairment, and higher rates of chronic conditions such as diabetes, coronary heart disease, hypertension, kidney disease and cancer, all of which make individuals more vulnerable to the coronavirus. Recovery from any illness is less likely in frail people, recovery takes longer and those recovering are more prone to further episodes of illness. In addition, older people are more likely to have sedentary lifestyles, poor nutrition, difficulty communicating, and lower levels of health literacy. Social isolation, loneliness and inadequate housing are also more common among older people and negatively affect health outcomes.
Officials have announced part 2 of the Phase 4 reopening process:
Gatherings
- Gatherings of 15 people indoors and 30 people outdoors
- Weddings with a maximum of 40 people indoors and 80 people outdoors
- All mosques open to perform daily and Friday prayers
- Souks at 75% capacity
- 80% of employees allowed in public and private workplaces
- Wholesale markets at 50% capacity
- Cleaning and hospitality services in workplaces at 30% capacity and resumption of home services
- Local exhibitions allowed at 30% capacity
- Malls at 50% capacity, with normal hours and children welcome
- Food courts in malls at 30% capacity
- Restaurants at 30% capacity and playgrounds and leisure centres remain closed
- Massage and sauna centres at 30% capacity
- Theatres and cinemas at 30% capacity for those 18 and older
- Museums and libraries at full capacity
- Continuing the suspension of home beauty, barber, massage and fitness training services
- Personal boat and yacht rentals at 30% capacity
- Metro and Bus at 30% capacity
- Driving schools at 50% capacity
- Continuing to follow Qatar's travel policy
- Spectators at 20% capacity indoors and 30% outdoors
- Health clubs, gyms and pools at 30% capacity
- Continuing the closure of playgrounds and sports equipment in public parks
- Private healthcare facilities at 100% capacity
- Private education and training centres at 50% capacity
The World Health Organization on Sunday reported the highest one-day increase in coronavirus infections since the pandemic began: more than 308,000 new cases. India, the United States and Brazil logged the largest numbers of new infections on Sunday. The WHO also warned that Europe will see a surge in coronavirus-linked deaths in the fall as new infections have been soaring over the past weeks to levels not seen since the spring.
Sept. 16: Qatar reported 235 new cases, bringing total to 123,449. ICU patients currently number 55, with 1 admission in the last 24 hours. The death toll stands at 208. Active cases total 2,872.
Hamad International Airport has installed vending machines dispensing COVID-19 personal protective equipment, including face masks, disposable gloves, hand sanitizers, disinfecting wipes, and commonly bought over-the-counter pharmacy items such as vitamins and personal care products.
Qatar extends incentives for private sector to help it cope with pandemic:
- The exemption of food and medical goods from customs duties will continue for an additional three months. The savings should be reflected in the selling price to the consumer.
- The exemption from electricity and water fees will continue for an additional three months for the following sectors: the hospitality and tourism sector, the retail sector, the small and medium industries sector, the commercial complexes in exchange for providing services and exemptions to tenants, and the logistic areas.
- The exemption from rents for logistic areas and small and medium industries will continue for a period of three months.
- The ceiling of the National Guarantee Program that is managed by Qatar Development Bank will be increased from QR 3 billion to QR 5 billion, in addition to extending the program for an additional three months. Qatar Development Bank will issue the necessary controls and conditions for this
- The automatic renewal of expired licenses and commercial registrations will continue for an additional three months, provided that the fees due are paid later.
Thirty-six more nurseries may reopen.
Sept. 17: Qatar reported 244 new cases, bringing total to 123,693. ICU patients currently number 58, with 7 admissions in the last 24 hours. The death toll stands at 208. Active cases total 2,8741.
Qatar authorities arrested four men for violating home quarantine.
Ministry closed a fitness club for 15 days for violating Phase 4 operating requirements.
Wearing eyeglasses may reduce the risk of catching the virus.
Health-care workers account for 1 in 7 coronavirus cases recorded by the World Health Organization, the U.N. agency said this week. “Globally, around 14 percent of covid-19 cases reported to WHO are among health workers, and in some countries it’s as much as 35 percent,” WHO director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at a news conference in Geneva. The figures are disproportionate: Data collected by the WHO suggests that health workers represent less than 3 percent of the population in the majority of countries and less than 2 percent in almost all low- and middle-income countries. But the WHO’s data, released to mark World Patient Safety Day on Thursday, fits with other estimates. In April, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that health-care workers accounted for 11 percent to 16 percent of covid-19 cases during the first surge of infections in the United States.
Global coronavirus cases are expected to pass 30 million on Thursday, according to a Reuters tally, with the pandemic showing no signs of slowing.
30 million
Sept. 18: China and Russia have begun a mass rollout of their coronavirus vaccines before clinical tests are complete, in what is emerging as an unexpectedly complex geopolitical challenge for the United States. China's Sinopharm announced this week that it would provide emergency doses of one of its two trial vaccines to the United Arab Emirates, prioritizing the U.S. ally over the vast majority of Chinese. China is now the sole supplier of coronavirus vaccine to the Middle East. Meanwhile, Russia's sovereign wealth fund signed a deal this week to supply India with 100 million doses of the Sputnik V vaccine.
Sept. 19: Qatar reported 229 new cases, bringing total to 123,146. ICU patients currently number 58, with 5 admissions in the last 24 hours. The death toll stands at 209. Active cases total 2,848.
Qatar authorities arrest six people for violating home quarantine.
Sept. 20: Qatar reported 230 new cases, bringing total to 123,376. ICU patients currently number 60, with 4 admissions in the last 24 hours. The death toll stands at 210, with the death of a 74-year old. Active cases total 2,863.
Qatar authorities arrested four men for violating home quarantine.
Sept. 21: Qatar reported 228 new cases, bringing total to 123,604. ICU patients currently number 62, with 5 admissions in the last 24 hours. The death toll stands at 211, with the death of a 49-year old. Active cases total 2,853.
Ministry closed a restaurant for 15 days for violating Phase 4 guidelines.
Qatar authorities arrested six men for violating home quarantine.
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced plans Monday to lift coronavirus-related restrictions for most of the country, saying the nation’s mystery outbreak that began in August appears to be largely under control.
The World Health Organization urged more wealthy countries to join its vaccine agreement — and provided details about how a vaccine, when it is developed, will be doled out. More than 150 countries, representing 64 percent of the world’s population, have agreed to participate in the Covid-19 Vaccines Global Access Facility, or Covax, which aims to develop and distribute $2 billion in doses of a vaccine by the end of next year. Under the plan, rich and poor countries pool money to provide manufacturers with volume guarantees for a slate of vaccine candidates. The idea is to discourage hoarding and focus on vaccinating high-risk people in every participating country first.
The World Health Organization urged more wealthy countries to join its vaccine agreement — and provided details about how a vaccine, when it is developed, will be doled out. More than 150 countries, representing 64 percent of the world’s population, have agreed to participate in the Covid-19 Vaccines Global Access Facility, or Covax, which aims to develop and distribute $2 billion in doses of a vaccine by the end of next year. Under the plan, rich and poor countries pool money to provide manufacturers with volume guarantees for a slate of vaccine candidates. The idea is to discourage hoarding and focus on vaccinating high-risk people in every participating country first.
Sept. 22: Qatar reported 313 new cases, bringing total to 123,917. ICU patients currently number 66, with 5 admissions in the last 24 hours. The death toll stands at 211. Active cases total 2,940.
Qatar authorities arrested four men for violating home quarantine.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that Britain has reached a "perilous turning point" in the coronavirus pandemic as he introduced new curfews on pubs and restaurants in England and encouraged remote working — restrictions that could remain in place for six months. Johnson outlined a raft of new constraints aimed at reversing a spike in coronavirus cases. Starting Thursday, pubs and restaurants will offer table service only and have to close by 10 p.m. Johnson also said that if people can work from home, they should — an about-face from a previous push by the government for people to return to their workplaces and help revive city centers. In addition, masks will be mandatory for retail workers, taxi drivers and bar and restaurant staffs, as well as customers when they are not seated at a table, the prime minister said.
Finland, US, and UAE launching pilot programs involving coronavirus-sniffing dogs at airports, amid hopes that dogs could come to play a key role in screening for the virus.
Sept. 23: Qatar reported 258 new cases, bringing total to 124,175. ICU patients currently number 64, with 2 admissions in the last 24 hours. The death toll stands at 212 with one death of a 63-year old. Active cases total 2,957.
Qatar authorities arrested one man for violating home quarantine.
For a recap of events around the world tied to the pandemic, see here.
Sept. 24: Qatar reported 250 new cases, bringing total to 124,425. ICU patients currently number 62, with 3 admissions in the last 24 hours. The death toll stands at 212. Active cases total 2,950.
Qatar authorities arrested three men for violating home quarantine.
Sept. 25: Qatar reported 225 new cases, bringing total to 124,650. ICU patients currently number 63, with 3 admissions in the last 24 hours. The death toll stands at 212. Active cases total 2,926.
Qatar has provided $88m to support the COVID-19 response to more than 80 countries worldwide.
Feared outbreaks in US schools yet to arrive, early data shows: “Thousands of students and teachers have become sick with the coronavirus since schools began opening last month, but public health experts have found little evidence that the virus is spreading inside buildings, and the rates of infection are far below what is found in the surrounding communities," Laura Meckler and Valerie Strauss report.
Trump attacks Food and Drug Administration plan for tougher standards on emergency vaccine approval: “The president said he had ‘tremendous trust in these massive companies’ developing prospective vaccines and suggested that they, not federal regulators, could best determine when a vaccine should be made available to the American people,” Amy Goldstein and Laurie McGinley report.
“White House coronavirus advisor Anthony S. Fauci pushed back against Paul's claim that New York has overcome the pandemic because it achieved herd immunity, telling the Kentucky Republican he’s ‘not listening,’” CNBC's Noah Higgins-Dunn reports.
Sept. 26: Qatar reported 200 new cases, bringing total to 124,850. ICU patients currently number 58, with 3 admissions in the last 24 hours. The death toll stands at 214 with the deaths of a 62- and 80-year old. Active cases total 2,898.
Qatari authorities arrest four men for violating home quarantine.
Fewer than 1 in 10 Americans showed signs of past infection with the novel coronavirus as of late July, suggesting that most of the country may still be vulnerable to infection, according to one of the largest studies of its kind published Friday in the journal the Lancet. That proportion is an estimate based on the percentage of dialysis patients whose immune systems produced coronavirus antibodies. It does not indicate exactly how many Americans may be immune to the virus, because not every infected individual develops antibodies. It is also unclear how strong a defense antibodies might confer or for how long. But, combined with similar results from studies by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other institutions, it’s evident a large majority may not be protected against a disease that has already killed 200,000 Americans.
Sept. 27: Qatar reported 234 new cases, bringing total to 125,084. ICU patients currently number 52, with 4 admissions in the last 24 hours. The death toll stands at 214. Active cases total 2,875.
Sept. 28: Qatari authorities arrest six men for violating home quarantine.
Officials close a salon and a massage parlor for 15 days for violating precuationary measures.
Officials update list of private health centers that can do PCR testing for COVID-19.
Why the coronavirus affects children much less severely than adults has become an enduring mystery of the pandemic. The vast majority of children do not get sick; when they do, they usually recover. The first study to compare the immune response in children with that in adults suggests a reason for children’s relative good fortune. In children, a branch of the immune system that evolved to protect against unfamiliar pathogens rapidly destroys the coronavirus before it wreaks damage on their bodies, according to the research, published this week in Science Translational Medicine.
Why the coronavirus affects children much less severely than adults has become an enduring mystery of the pandemic. The vast majority of children do not get sick; when they do, they usually recover. The first study to compare the immune response in children with that in adults suggests a reason for children’s relative good fortune. In children, a branch of the immune system that evolved to protect against unfamiliar pathogens rapidly destroys the coronavirus before it wreaks damage on their bodies, according to the research, published this week in Science Translational Medicine.
Sept. 29: Qatar reported 222 new cases, bringing total to 125,533. ICU patients currently number 53, with 4 admissions in the last 24 hours. The death toll stands at 214. Active cases total 2,871.
Hamad International Airport has launched its trial phase of testing "happyhover" and SITA Mobile Solution technology for contactless self-check-in and baggage drop. The introduction of these advanced smart solutions is part of HIA’s ongoing efforts to safeguard its staff and passengers from COVID-19.
In order to preserve the convenience of the kiosks while maintaining the hygienic standards required to curb the spread of COVID-19, the happyhover solution uses infra-red technology to detect fingers as they approach specific area of the screen to accept the intended customer action; eliminating the need to touch potentially infected surfaces. In addition, passengers also have the option to conveniently use their mobile phones to control the kiosk screen using the SITA Contactless Kiosk Solution.
In order to preserve the convenience of the kiosks while maintaining the hygienic standards required to curb the spread of COVID-19, the happyhover solution uses infra-red technology to detect fingers as they approach specific area of the screen to accept the intended customer action; eliminating the need to touch potentially infected surfaces. In addition, passengers also have the option to conveniently use their mobile phones to control the kiosk screen using the SITA Contactless Kiosk Solution.
More here on the "Qatar Clean" certification for hotels.
Sept. 30: Qatar reported 227 new cases, bringing total to 125,760. ICU patients currently number 56, with 4 admissions in the last 24 hours. The death toll stands at 214. Active cases total 2,847.
Of the flood of misinformation, conspiracy theories and falsehoods seeding the internet on the coronavirus, one common thread stands out: President Trump. That is the conclusion of researchers at Cornell University who analyzed 38 million articles about the pandemic in English-language media around the world. Mentions of Mr. Trump made up nearly 38 percent of the overall “misinformation conversation,” making the president the largest driver of the “infodemic” — falsehoods involving the pandemic. The study, to be released Thursday, is the first comprehensive examination of coronavirus misinformation in traditional and online media.
At least 974 new coronavirus deaths and 41,983 new cases were reported in the United States on Sept. 30. Over the past week, there have been an average of 43,258 cases per day, an increase of 11 percent from the average two weeks earlier. As of Thursday morning, more than 7,262,600 people in the United States have been infected with the coronavirus and at least 206,800 have died. Importantly, in August 12, 2020 scientists said US deaths had already surpassed 200,000, measured by "excess deaths."
Worldwide, the coronavirus pandemic has sickened more than 33,967,100 people, according to official counts. As of Thursday morning, at least 1,013,700 people have died, and the virus has been detected in nearly every country. Qatar appears in dark orange on this map.
These countries see increasing infections.
Overall, the number of new cases is growing faster than ever worldwide, with more than 200,000 reported each day on average.
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