Updates

8 July (Shops to open, all commercial activities to resume on weekends)
1 July (Children below 12 years not permitted to enter shopping complexes) 
30 June (Restaurants in some tourist areas to resume dine-in services)
29 June (Gatherings limited to 5)

The Supreme Committee for Crisis Management announced that Qatar will lift its COVID-19 restrictions in four phases. We are currently in the second phase, which began on 1 July.

Many people living in Qatar are curious about what new facilities are open and what the new rules are about meeting friends and going out – keep reading to find out what has changed on 1 July! 

PHASE 2Business and Leisure

Malls and Shopping Centres:

All the malls will remain open but they will have restricted hours and limited capacity. As per the government regulations for Phase 2, malls will be:

  • The Cabinet decided that all commercial activities in the country will resume and shops will remain open on weekends. The MoCI has issued a notification in this regard. The decision comes into effect on 9 July 2020.
  • Operating at less than 50% of the mall’s regular capacity
  • Reducing the number of parking spaces available to visitors to 50%
  • Barring smoking at mall entrances, and removing all containers designated for cigarette waste
  • Preventing the gathering of visitors and limousine or taxi drivers at the entrance to malls
  • Preventing children under the age of 12 from entering any malls, you can read more here

Gaming centres, amusement parks, skateboards arenas, prayer rooms and cinemas on the other hand will remain closed. Restaurants operating inside malls and commercial centres are allowed to deliver to home addresses, or hand over orders at the restaurant only.

To go to the mall in Phase 2, you must:

  • Show a Green code in the Ehteraz app
  • Wear a medical mask throughout your time at the mall
  • Your temperature must be less than 38 degrees Celsius to enter the premises
  • Remain at a safe distance of no less than two metres from other individuals at all times

In addition to this, souqs and wholesale markets will open, but they too will have limited operational hours and capacity. The markets that will open are: The Gold Souq, Souq Al Ali,  Al Gharafa Market, Thursday and Friday market,  Souq Waqif (Doha) Souq Al Wakrah and Al Sailiya Central Market.

Restaurants:

Some restaurants will be allowed to reopen but with a limited capacity of 50% and social distancing measures in place. Read more about it here.

Restaurants are allowed to resume their operations in the following tourist areas: Souq Waqif, Souq Al Wakrah, The Pearl-Qatar, Katara Cultural Village, Qatar Museums, Al Hazm, Msheireb and restaurants and kiosks in sports clubs and tourist areas (including hotels).

If you have been missing eating out and treating yourself, you can check if your favourite eaterie will be open on 1 July by using our Eating Out Is Back’ listing – this is regularly updated, so make sure to bookmark it!

Museums and libraries:

Museums and libraries will be allowed to open, albeit with limited capacity and reduced opening times.

The Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim Al Thani Museum will be opening on 1 July – to ensure your safety all entrants must:

sheikh faisal museum

You can get more details here.

Qatar Museums are also opening: the Museum of Islamic Art; Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art; and the Garage Gallery at the Fire Station Artists in Residence. Heritage sites that are opening include Al Zubara, Al Jassasiya and Barzan Towers, although:

  • Museums and heritage sites will only be open from Sunday – Thursday, 9 am – 3 pm
  • Visitors will be required to reserve tickets in advance on the QM website
  • Visitors must show a green code on the Ehteraz app
  • Visitors must submit to a temperature reading
  • Visitors must wear a mask at all times

You can read more here about the museum timings and the precautions that will be in place.

Businesses:

Both government and private businesses will be allowed to increase the number of employees that can work from the office – so you might be back at work on 1 July if you’re not already! The percentage of employees allowed in the workspace will increase to 50% but there will be strict health precautions in place.

Gatherings – Business & Entertainment

In Phase 2, you will be allowed to attend small gatherings of 5 people or less. Any group meetings larger than this are still not permitted.

Gatherings – Mosques

Phase 2 will continue the restricted opening of mosques, with an exemption for Friday prayers. You can find the closest mosque to you that is open using this link on the Awqaf website.

Outdoor and Professional Sports

The parks, Doha Corniche and beaches will be opened during Phase 2.

Although some of the amenities at the parks still remain closed,, you might enjoy reading about some of the local parks or even the infamous Al Bidda Park to plan all the activities you can do when they open fully.

You could also plan a road trip around all the beaches of Qatar when they open! You can use our Beaches in Qatar article to plan your route or you can visit beaches at Katara Cultural Village.

katara cultural village

Professional training classes will also be allowed to resume, provided that the class is limited to less than 10 people and the class is in a large, outdoor space only.

If you are looking to rent a place to train or to schedule a class of your own – get in touch with Doha Sports Park – who are hoping to open up their many pitches and facilities to small classes. Click here for more information.

 

Entry and Exit Points to and from the Industrial Area Cancelled from 1 July

 

Education and Health

Private healthcare facilities will be allowed to operate at 60% capacity. Emergency services will continue as normal.

Transportation

Boat/yacht rentals for families (groups of less than 10) will be allowed in Phase 2.

Entry and exit checkpoints in the Industrial Area have been removed as of 1 July. Click here for more information.

Travelling Back to Qatar

Qatari nationals will be allowed to return to Qatar during Phase 2, providing that they stay in a government-approved hotel for the mandatory two-week quarantine period. Check-in at the airport of boarding will not be permitted without a confirmed hotel booking in Qatar.

QID holders will not be allowed to return to Qatar until Phase 3.

You can read more information about travelling or returning to Qatar via this link.

Eating Out

Let’s Go to the Beach!


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