Sign in Register
Posted On: 22 July 2020 12:29 pm
Updated On: 12 November 2020 09:12 am

[UPDATED] Phase 3: Frequently asked questions about quarantine rules

Darlene
Darlene
Discuss here!
Start a discussion
FAQ-quarantine-rules-phase-3-qatar

UPDATE August 8, 2020 (Mandatory PCR test from select countries)

Qatar Airways has announced that it's requiring a negative COVID-19 test result upon check-in from some countries and select airports.

Read the full details here: https://www.iloveqatar.net/coronavirus/travelVisa/qatar-airways-requirement-negative-covid-19-rt-pcr-medical-test-result-upon-check-in-from-some-countries

UPDATE July 23, 2020 (Qatar Portal)

According to Qatar Portal, the applications for the Exceptional Entry Permit to Qatar, a temporary service provided to the residents of Qatar who are currently stuck abroad due to COVID-19, will start on August 1, 2020.

HERE'S HOW: https://www.iloveqatar.net/coronavirus/govUpdates/how-residents-and-visitors-can-apply-for-exceptional-entry-permit-to-qatar

---------------------

UPDATE July 23, 2020 (Information from Discover Qatar website)

Q: Can all QID Holders return on 1 August?

A: No, only QID holders with an approved re-entry permit obtained from the Qatar Portal will be permitted to travel to Qatar from 1 August. Applications for re-entry to Qatar will open on 1 August.

Residents’ entry will be organised based on a series of priorities, including public health indicators, the nature of the needs of the various government and semi-government sectors and humanitarian cases.

-------------------------------------

As part of the gradual lifting of COVID-19 restrictions, the Government Communications Office announced new travel policies that will be effective on August 1, 2020. Find out the answers to the frequently asked questions about the quarantine rules, according to the Ministry of Public Health.

FAQs on quarantine:

Q: Which countries can I travel to and undergo home quarantine on return?

A: To view the list of countries classified as low risk of COVID-19 click here: https://www.iloveqatar.net/coronavirus/govUpdates/list-of-countries-classified-by-qatar-as-low-risk-for-covid-19

Q: How long must I undergo home quarantine on my return from a low-risk country?

A: You must undergo at least a 7 day period of home quarantine following your return to Qatar.

Q: Will I be tested during my period of home quarantine?

A: Yes. Upon your return to Doha’s Hamad International Airport from low-risk countries where MOPH approved testing centers are not in place (currently only Turkey), you will be tested at the airport and then required to undergo home quarantine for one week (7 days).

You will then be tested on day 6 of your home quarantine by arranging a drive through appointment in one of the designated primary health centers. If the test is negative, you will be released from home quarantine on day 7. If your test result is positive, you will be placed under appropriate isolation.

Q: Are there any requirements for undertaking home quarantine?

A: Yes, there are Ten Rules of Home Quarantine that you must adhere to:

1. You must have suitable housing conditions with the availability of your own room and linked bathroom when you confine yourself to your own room and not mix with the rest of the family

2. You must sign an undertaking (including all the family members and household helpers living in the same house) to abide by the rules of home-based quarantine

3. You must watch a short video onboard the flight before arrival and review the pamphlet on home quarantine.

4. You must apply preventive measures at home to protect others

5. You must have a swab taken on day 6 after your arrival back to Doha at a designated drive through primary healthcare center

6. You must answer the phone calls from the public health team during your home quarantine.

7. You must agree to receive a visit from the public health team every 2 to 3 days.

8. You must inform the public health team if you develop any symptoms (fever, cough, body aches, change in taste or smell)

9. You must download the Ehteraz app.

10. You should not receive visitors while under home quarantine.

Q: Will my Ehteraz status change when I return from travel?

A: Yes. Upon arrival back to Doha’s Hamad International Airport, your Ehteraz status will change to Yellow (Quarantine). If your 6-day test result is negative, your Ehteraz status will change to green on day 7 if you returned from low-risk countries.

However, if this test result is positive, your Ehteraz status will change to red. If you returned from other countries, then your health status on Ehteraz will remain yellow (Quarantine) on day 7, and you should continue the remaining 7 days home quarantined (total 14 days).

Q: Do I have to have a COVID-19 test at Hamad International Airport if I have traveled to Turkey and had a test in one of the MOPH approved centers?

A: No. If you have been tested at an approved MOPH testing center, you will not require a test on arrival at Hamad International Airport. You should present your COVID-19 free certificate to authorities at Hamad International Airport and begin your 7-day period of home quarantine. You will then be tested for COVID-19 on day 6 of your home quarantine by arranging a drive through an appointment in one of the designated primary health centers. If the test is negative, you will be released from home quarantine on day 7. If your test result is positive, the existing protocol for positive cases will be applied.

Q: Is there any documentation that I must complete on my return to Qatar?

A: Yes. Each traveler must complete and sign a Health Checklist for Returning Travelers form/card that will be distributed among passengers by cabin crew onboard. On arrival back to Doha’s Hamad International Airport, the form/card is submitted to the Medical officer. The form/card includes questions about the individual’s medical history and the rules of home quarantine.

Q: I’ve already booked my travel and hotel quarantine stay – will I get a refund for the hotel quarantine?

A: If you are traveling to an approved low-risk country and have already booked and paid for a hotel quarantine stay on your return to Qatar, you will be able to get a full refund for the hotel quarantine as you will be eligible for home quarantine. Contact Discover Qatar to request your refund.

Q: Can I undergo home quarantine if I travel to a country that is not on the official low-risk list?

A: No. If you travel to a country that is not on the low risk approved list, you will be required to undergo a one week period of hotel quarantine. You should book a hotel quarantine stay for one week from the listed hotels on the Discover Qatar website. You will be tested on day 6 of your hotel, quarantine. If the test is negative and you are asymptomatic (displaying no symptoms), you will be able to leave the hotel on day 7 to begin a further period of home quarantine for 7 days (14 days total quarantine). If, after 14 days, you are still asymptomatic, your Ehteraz status will turn green.

Q: Are there any exemptions from hotel quarantine for people returning from countries, not on the low-risk list?

A: Yes. The following vulnerable groups returning from travel (Qatari and non-Qatari) and their immediate family members living in the same household, including their domestic helpers returning with them, are eligible for home quarantine and not hotel quarantine:

1. Aged 55 years old and above.

2. Organ transplant recipients.

3. Patients with hypertension who are on treatment.

4. Bone marrow transplant recipients.

5. Patients with conditions that require immune-suppressive treatment.

6. Patients with heart failure or coronary artery disease.

7. Patients with moderate to severe asthma.

8. Cancer patients with metastasis and those on treatment (Chemotherapy or Radiotherapy).

9. Pregnant females (any trimester).

10. Nursing mothers with children aged 0-5 years.

11. Patients with end-stage renal failure (ESRD) or on dialysis.

12. Patients with CLD (Chronic Liver Disease) and decompensation.

13. Patients with lower-limb amputations.

14. People with disabilities where they are dependent on others for their activities of daily living.

15. Children with disabilities and their mothers.

16. Patients with epilepsy and on treatment.

17. Patients with diabetic foot infections.

18. People with deceased first degree relatives in the last 10 days.

19. People with mental health problems on antipsychotic medications and whose condition is aggravated by staying in closed spaces

20. Diabetic patients on treatment (any HbA1C level).

Source: Ministry of Public Health