Manama: Qatar decided to gradually lift the coronavirus restriction including reopening of some mosques and resumption of flight service, Qatar News Agency (QNA) reported.
Restrictions will be lifted in four-phases starting on June 15, spokesperson of the Supreme Committee for Crisis Management said.
Restrictions could be reimposed or the phases delayed if necessary, she added.
The second phase would start on July 1, the third on August 1 and the fourth on September. 1.
The first phase of easing lockdown, beginning from June 15, includes gradual reopening of some mosques with precautionary measures, 20 % staff at work places and partial opening of some stores.
The second stage will allow a partial opening of restaurants, malls and markets with limited capacity, 50 % of employees at work places and public gatherings of a maximum of 10 people.
The major attraction of the third phase is the resumption of flights from low-risk countries. Priority on flights will be given to holders of Qatar residency visas who will be subject to a two-week quarantine upon entering at their own cost.
Also, it will allow full opening of shopping centres. Gatherings of 40 people allowed. Offices will allow to operate with 80 % of staff capacity. Nurseries and creches (babysitting) will be allowed to reopen, but all other educational institutions would resume operations in September.
The fourth and final stage includes full opening of shopping centers, markets, restaurants, museums and libraries. 100% of employees will be allowed at work places. It will also include the lifting of restrictions on educational institutions in time for the new academic year. Also, it will allow wedding parties, business gatherings such as exhibitions, and the reopening of theatres and cinemas, she said.
Private health clinics will be allowed to open 40% in the first phase, 60% in the second, 80% in third and 100% in the fourth, Khater said.
The country imposed a country wide lockdown on May 19, after it witnessed a spike in Covid-19 cases.
Qatar has the second-highest number of confirmed coronavirus cases after Saudi Arabia in the six nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which have recorded 2,87,423 virus infections and 1,513 fatalities.
As of Tuesday night, Qatar has 71,879 confirmed coronavirus cases and 62 deaths, according to the ministry of Health. The country reported 1,721 new cases and five deaths on Tuesday.
