Dubai: Qatar’s major healthcare provider has suspended leave for all medical and administrative staff dealing with COVID-19 amid a surge in infections, local media reported.
In an internal memo circulated to all staff, the state-owned Hamad Medical Corporation said, “Due to the recent increase in the number of people infected with COVID-19 in Qatar... the difficult decision has been made to put on hold all approved and future employees’ leave requests for clinical and admin staff who are working in COVID-19 activities.
“This decision comes into immediate effect and until further notice.”
It said staff would be compensated for working overtime, as the country gears up to host the 2022 World Cup.
Over the past few weeks, Qatar has been reporting an upward trend in daily COVID-19 infection, prompting authorities to tighten COVID-19 restrictions and re-impose some countermeasures. Since the pandemic began, Qatar has recorded more than 248,000 infections, including 616 deaths.
