COVID-19: Qatar announces partial reopening of mosques and public transport from September 1

Cairo: Qatar has said it will reopen mosques for daily and congregational prayers starting from September 1, the latest step in easing restrictions prompted by an outbreak of the coronavirus.

In mid-June, the Gulf emirate began a phased plan to bring life back to normal.

A state committee in charge of tackling the COVID-19 crisis said that the mosque reopening will take place amid precautions including the closure of toilets and ablution places.

The panel said that gatherings will be allowed with maximum 15 persons indoors and 30 outdoors, Qatar’s news agency QNA reported.

Also beginning September 1, wedding parties will be allowed again with attendance of maximum persons in indoor places and 80 outdoors while complying with precautionary measures. Only five persons should be allowed at each table at those parties.

Public transport will return to operation at 30 per cent of its normal capacity according to measures to be announced by the Ministry of Transport and Communications, QNA quoted the committee as saying.

Fans will be allowed to attend sports activities at 20 per cent of normal capacity for indoor events and 30 per cent outdoors in line with measures to be announced by the authorities concerned.

Private medical clinics, meanwhile, are permitted to reoperate at their full capacity, according to the panel.

The committee said it will continue to review the health situation and decide whether to lift more restrictions or re-impose them by mid-September.

Qatar so far has reported a total of coronavirus 117,742 cases and 194 deaths.