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The Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation (Kahramaa) is eyeing an expansion of the District Cooling (DC) System, which presently covers 19% of the total cooling capacity in the country, at over 1mn tonnes. “And this figure is expected to reach 24% by 2030,” a Kahramaa tweet said. Kahramaa, represented by the District Cooling Services Department, is looking to extend DC services to individual villas. A feasible study has been launched to help set up investment projects of DC plants in order to enable individual villas and houses to benefit from the most efficient cooling system. Kahramaa's District Cooling Services Department was established in 2012 as a regulator in the field and to provide services that contribute to enhancing energy and water sustainability. DC, considered one of the most efficient, environment-friendly and energy-saving systems, helps reduce about 40% of electricity consumption and 98% of water consumption, compared to conventional cooling solutions. This supports the efforts made to ensure the sustainability of water resources. Kahramaa works to enhance water security in the country by switching to the use of treated wastewater instead of potable water in all district cooling plants, taking advantage of the best sustainable system in the region. The cooling plant is equipped with the latest equipment and intelligent monitoring and control systems that provide the highest levels of energy performance through the use of treated water for cooling.    

The Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation (Kahramaa), represented by the National Programme for Conservation and Energy Efficiency (Tarsheed), has intensified awareness programmes while implementing its new initiative to reduce water and electricity consumption by 5% in the residential sector. Kahramaa has urged residents to fill out a residential consumption questionnaire, which is available on its website, as part of its efforts to assess habits related to water and electricity consumption. The form can be found at https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=wrLTTGTT8U2IjXG6Q6aSaIPHiBvakf5GiD2AK6hU8slURFpSTjNHRFVGMklNRjhWM0pKNEdXNlNFMi4u As part of the ongoing awareness campaign, Kahramaa is sharing tips to help people bring down electricity and water consumption while enabling the corporation to achieve its goals. Also, Kahramaa has published consumer guidelines on the use of air-conditioners, lamps and other appliances. In April, Kahramaa launched it's initiative to obtain 5% reduction in consumption by using practical and available solutions at the lowest possible cost. In the case of saving electricity by 5%, which is estimated at about 600 gigawatts per hour. In the case of saving 5% of water it’s about 11mn cu m. This is expected to help the country achieve savings estimated at about QR 212 mn. The initiative contributes to Qatar National Vision 2030 by raising awareness, endorsing rationalisation techniques and promoting responsible consumer behaviour with detailed follow-up techniques being implemented to provide customers with support and guarantee long-term results. The initiative will be implemented in 2021 and 2022 in four basic phases. It’s designed according to the consumption pattern and housing type for everyone who takes part. The campaign is run in various phases that include filling out the residential consumption questionnaire, analysing the results of the questionnaires and launching an interactive platform on the Tarsheed page on the Kahramaa website to follow up on the participants on how to reduce 5% of the electricity and water consumption in every home. Besides, an interactive platform through an electronic application will be launched. This will provide a plan designed for each subscriber to achieve the efficiency of electricity and water use specifically in each house and according to the number of electrical appliances and the quality of water tools. Results of the efforts in various phases will be announced.    

The Mesaimeer Pumping Station and Outfall project will bring a facelift to the sewage management in Qatar while decreasing the surface water level and reducing pumping costs in construction projects across the country. Ashghal has informed that the project will be completed by the end of this year. The main tunnel will connect the existing and future drainage networks. The tunnel will operate to drain surface water from sub-networks located in different areas, spread over an estimated 170sq km area, and minimise rainwater catchments, especially in tunnels, as it is connected with rainwater drainage networks in 22 tunnels for vehicular traffic. It will also help preserve the foundations of buildings by reducing waterlogging. Once completed at a total cost of about QR920mn, the 10km long outfall will become an important step towards providing a sustainable solution for the discharge of surface and stormwater in the country. The project will accommodate surface and storm water volumes received from the drainage networks located in different areas in Doha. The water is treated according to the highest internationally-approved specifications, and then pumped 10km away from the seashore via the Mesaimeer pumping station and outfall tunnel. The excavation of the outfall tunnel, at a depth of 15m below the seabed and about 3.7m in diameter, is considered a “major construction challenge due to the variable geology that increases the exposure to unexpected conditions”. The excavation is carried using a highly-specialised tunner boring machine (TBM) that uses a technique called “Earth Pressure Balance”, and is designed to operate in a range of ground conditions in Qatar, and along the variable geology along the tunnel. The TBM incorporates advanced technologies that ensure the efficiency of the drilling process, providing the maximum safety standards for tunnel workers and operators, as well as monitoring the work execution through all its stages. The safety features include a “closed mode” feature, used in the case of ground deterioration to prevent water from entering the tunnel and thus protect the workers, in addition to rescue chambers that protect personnel during emergencies, fire detection and suppression, as well as emergency electricity generation systems.    

The Mesaimeer Pumping Station and Outfall project will bring a facelift to the sewage management in Qatar while decreasing the surface water level and reducing pumping costs in construction projects across the country. Ashghal has informed that the project will be completed by the end of this year. The main tunnel will connect the existing and future drainage networks. The tunnel will operate to drain surface water from sub-networks located in different areas, spread over an estimated 170sqkm area, and minimise rainwater catchments, especially in tunnels, as it’s connected with rainwater drainage networks in 22 tunnels for vehicular traffic. Besides, it will help preserve the foundations of buildings by reducing waterlogging. Once completed at a total cost of about QR920mn, the 10km long outfall will become an important step towards providing a sustainable solution for the discharge of surface and stormwater in the country. The project will accommodate surface and storm water volumes received from the drainage networks located in different areas in Doha. The water is treated according to the highest internationally approved specifications, and than pumped 10km away from the seashore via the Mesaimeer pumping station and outfall tunnel. The excavation of the outfall tunnel, at a depth of 15m below the seabed and about 3.7m in diameter, is considered a “major construction challenge due to the variable geology that increases the exposure to unexpected conditions”. The excavation is carried using a highly specialised tunner boring machine (TBM) that uses a technique called Earth Pressure Balance and is designed to operate in a range of ground conditions in Qatar, and along the variable geology along the tunnel. The TBM incorporates advanced technologies that ensure the efficiency of the drilling process, providing the maximum safety standards for tunnel workers and operators, as well as monitoring the work execution through all it's stages. The safety features include a “closed mode” feature, used in the case of ground deterioration to prevent water from entering the tunnel and thus protect the workers, in addition to rescue chambers that protect personnel during emergencies, fire detection and suppression, as well as emergency electricity generation systems.    

In a major move that will strengthen environmental protection, the Ministry of Transport and Communications (MoTC) has adopted the policy of using higher grade and cleaner premium diesel fuel that meets the European emission standard Euro 5 specifications. MoTC tweeted that this will apply for imported trucks and buses starting with models manufactured for 2022. The plan, according to the tweet, is to implement the initiative in coordination with various bodies concerned including Qatar Petroleum (QP), the Qatar General Organisation for Standards and Metrology (QS) and the General Directorate of Traffic. “The major goals of the initiative include creating a cleaner, healthier and safer environment for current and coming generations while bringing down carbon emission by 17% by 2022 in a move to reduce greenhouse gases, combat climate change and maintain an economic-environmental balance,” the tweet said. The policy is adopted as part of the ongoing strategy to switch to eco-friendly electric vehicles in Qatar while upgrading the specifications of buses and trucks to conform to the clean Euro 5 diesel. MoTC said this will help achieve environmental sustainability by rolling out more of clean technologies, clean fuel and electrical energy to reduce vehicle exhausts and harmful carbon emissions. The Euro 5 specification provides best standards and modern technologies. The specification for carbon monoxide (CO) does not exceed 1.5% while Euro 2 diesel specification causes more pollution . With Euro 5 specification, maximum diesel sulfur content is 10 parts per million (ppm) and smoke opacity is 1.0-1.5 ppm while diesel sulfur content is as high as 500 ppm and smoke opacity is up to 0.46 ppm with Euro 2 specification. Currently, MoTC is working on the strategy for shifting to eco-friendly vehicles and encouraging the public to use the multimodal public transit system. Several strategic projects to develop the bus network and provide a fresh set of special routes and services along with initiatives to provide the necessary infrastructure and relevant logistic services are being implemented by the MoTC. Among these, are building eight bus stations and four bus depots and various parking spaces for vehicles and buses, establishing 2700 bus stops and setting up stations and parking spaces for water taxis. These projects are implemented in collaboration with the Public Works Authority (Ashghal). The Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation (Kahramaa), in coordination with MoTC, has developed a strategy for electric and hybrid vehicles for Qatar in order to secure the country's needs of clean energy permanently and regularly. This is in addition to identifying the alternatives to secure it and thus help the country achieve Qatar's second National Development Strategy (2018- 2022) and Qatar National Vision 2030.    

With Phase 1 of the gradual lifting of Covid-19 restrictions beginning tomorrow, a Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI) official has stressed the need for both workers and customers to be vaccinated to be allowed at indoor commercial establishments such as restaurants, barbershops, etc. They should have completed 14 days after the second dose, Ayed al-Qahtani, director of the commercial registration and licensing department at the MoCI, told Qatar TV yesterday. This is not to give vaccinated people any advantage but to successfully complete the first stage and ensure that there will be no new cases. He said barbershops, salons and gyms will be allowed to operate from tomorrow subject to certain conditions, as the first phase of lifting restrictions targets vital sectors that concern citizens and residents. He said this is based on a study to resume work and expand key commercial and entertainment activities. “We urge owners of restaurants in commercial complexes to ensure that all their workers are vaccinated, especially in closed spaces,” he said. The official urged business establishments and stores to follow the Covid-19 restrictions during the first phase of easing of restrictions, stressing that the ministry will make sure that the rules are complied with. He added that intensive campaigns will be carried out at commercial establishments to look for violations and offenders will face serious actions. “The goal is not punishment but to proceed to the second stage,” he said.  “If the occupancy level is found at 50%, for example, the owner of a restaurant or cafe will be notified and alerted that he has exceeded the stipulated 30%. If he responds to us, we will not close the place. If he fails to respond, legal action or closure will be initiated. We are looking to co-operate with the shop owners,” al-Qahtani said. The MoCI official urged the owners of establishments and stores to strictly follow the stipulated measures during the first phase of lifting restrictions. “We will ensure that we will go to the other stages and I think the public understands the situation,” he explained, urging the public to co-operate with the MoCI and give information on any failure to follow the restrictions and apply precautionary measures.   MoI to continue efforts to ensure rules are followed Lieutenant-Colonel Masoud al-Qahtani, head of the Ehteraz Unit at the National Command Centre, has stressed that the Ministry of Interior (MoI) will continue to make the necessary efforts to ensure that the rules are followed during the easing of Covid-19 restrictions. He said the ministry will continue to work with other competent authorities round-the-clock to prevent the spread of Covid-19 in Qatar.

Qatar residents celebrated Eid al-Fitr Thursday abiding by the preventive and precautionary measures against the spread of Covid-19. They had a cheerful day with the authorities concerned opening the doors of mosques and prayer grounds for special Eid prayers. “Restrictions often leave us staying inside the home, but this Eid was different and the day started with joy early morning," said Badrudheen Thotty Abdulrahman. The resident of Al Wakra said it was good to have most of the mosques opened as it helped the faithful to easily find a place where they could participate in prayers and listen to the Eid sermon. The Ministry of Endowments (Awqaf) and Islamic Affairs made arrangements in 1,028 mosques and prayer grounds in various regions of the country to receive worshippers for the Eid al-Fitr prayers, which started at 5.05am while maintaining the Covid-19 precautionary measures. Last year, mosques and prayer grounds remained closed during Eid-al-Fitr while the Mosques Management Department at the Ministry readied only 401 mosques and prayer grounds for the Eid al-Adha prayer. “The number of opened mosques and prayer grounds doubled this year while precautionary measures were strictly followed," said Rayees Ali, who performed his prayer at Al Aziziya prayer ground. Awqaf and the Ministry of Municipality and Environment (MME) made arrangements to ensure the convenience and safety of the faithful at mosques and prayer grounds where MME's Public Cleaning Department carried out cleanliness campaigns. Special teams with the latest equipment and machinery cleaned the prayer grounds across the country and prepared them to receive the worshippers. The Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) deployed volunteers at mosques and prayer grounds in order to maintain safety and ensure the smooth conduct of the prayers. "People were very co-operative," Abdulrahman said. Rayees noted that Eid came as a relief even though restrictions are in place. Meanwhile, residents abstained from holding usual family visits and tours taking note of the directions. “The usual meets were held virtual. Organisations opted for virtual meets and cultural programmes were not held," the Kerala Muslim Cultural Centre (KMCC) Kerala state committee secretary said. KMCC, like other organisations, had a special virtual Eid meet on Thursday. “Earlier, we used to meet in the office and hold household visits. But, this Eid had the routines going virtual," he added. PICTURES: Jayan Orma and Shaji Kayamkulam.    

With the mosques and prayer grounds set to host the Eid al-Fitr prayers, the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs (Awqaf) and the Ministry of Municipality and Environment (MME) are busy making final arrangements to ensure the convenience and safety of the faithful. The MME, represented by its Public Cleaning Department, has been carrying out campaigns across the country to clean the prayer grounds in preparation for the Eid al-Fitr prayers, an official statement said. Special teams with the latest equipment and machinery cleaned the prayer grounds across the country and prepared them to receive the worshippers. The cleanliness drives covered municipalities of Doha, Al Khor and Al Thakhira, Al Shamal, Al Wakra, Al Daayen, Al Sheehaniya, Umm Salal and Al Rayyan. The Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) will deploy volunteers at mosques and prayer grounds in order to maintain safety and ensure the smooth conduct of the prayers. A total of 1,028 mosques and prayer grounds will be available for prayer in Qatar. Awqaf has published the names and location on its Twitter handle. The Eid al-Fitr prayer will start at 5.05am. No children and women are allowed. Awqaf has announced a set of precautionary measures to prevent the spread of Covid-19. An advisory asked the faithful to wear masks as long as they are at the mosque or prayer ground. Mats should be brought. The prayer should be carried by keeping a distance of 1.5m between everyone. Ehteraz with green code should be shown. Believes should co-operate with competent authorities and do not shake hands. Do not crowd around the doors of the mosques," the advisory said. Mosques and prayer grounds will be available at various areas including Ezgava, Umm Saneem, Al Salata Al Jadeeda, Umm Salal Ali, Umm Salal Mohamed, Umm Ghuwailina, Umm Qarn, Umm Lekhba, Bin Omran, Bin Mahmoud, Bu Sidra, Al Thumama, Al Jumailiya, Al Kharaitiyat, Al Jeryan, Al Huwaila, Al Kharrara, Al Khalidiya, Al Kharsaah, Al Kheesa, Al Dafna, Al Doha Al Jadeed, Al Thakira, Al Soudan, Al Sailiya, Al Sheehaniya, Al Ebb, The Pearl, Al Murra, Al Messila, Al Mirqab Al Jadeed, Al Meshaf, Al Mamoura, Industrial Area, Al Najada, Al Hilal, Al Wajba, Umm Ghuwailina, Al Khor, Al Duhail, Al Rayyan Al Jadeed, Al Rayyan Al Qadeem, Al Sadd, Simaisma, Al Sailiya, Al Sheehaniya, Al Shamal, Al Azeeziya, Bani Hajer, Bu Samra, Bu Sidra, Dukhan, Raas Lafan, Rawdat Al Hamama, Rawdat Al Khail, Rawdat Al Fars, Rawdat Aba Al Heeran, Semaisma, Onaiza, Fereej Al Nasr, Fereej bin Dirham, Fereej Al Manaseer, Fereej bin Omran, Fereej bin Mahmood, Fereej Abdul Aziz, Leibeib, Legataifiya, Meraikh, Mesaieed, Messaimeer, Msheirib, Nuaija, Wadi Al Sail, Ain Kahled, Al Ghanem Al Jadeed, Al Gharrafa, Fereej bin Omar, Al Luqta, Madinat Al Shamal, Madina Khalifa South, Madina Khalifa North, Al Matar Qadeem, Hamad International Airport, Al Mamoura, Muaither South, Muaither North, Al Najma, Al Wakra and Al Wukair. The MME has urged everyone to co-operate with the Operations and Follow-up Team at the Cleanliness Department in keeping the public places clean during Eid holidays and to not throw waste randomly. To report any issue or complaint MME's call centre at 184 could be contacted.    

More than 1,000 mosques and prayer grounds across the country will host Eid-al-Fitr prayers, the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs (Awqaf) announced. Also, no place is available for women, and children aged below 12 years at mosques and prayer grounds. Awqaf published the list of the mosques and prayer grounds on its social media accounts and asked the believers to follow the safety measures. Name, number and location of the 1,026 mosques and prayer grounds are available on the Twitter handle of the ministry https://t.co/3k5s8quKuU?amp=1. Eid prayer will start at 5.05am. The ministry has informed that social distancing will be applicable and urged the faithful to follow all precautions and safety measures announced in the last phase of reopening. As per the advisory, worshippers should not shake hands even with gloves on. They should cover the mouth and nose while sneezing, wear face masks and do ablution at home as the bathrooms and ablution place of the mosques will remain closed. The ministry has urged the faithful not to go to the mosques early as they will be opened only with prayer calls. The believers should maintain a distance of two meters from each other and should not crowd inside the mosque. The mosques will be reopened at various areas including Ezgava, Umm Saneem, Al Salata Al Jadeeda, Umm Salal Ali, Umm Salal Mohamed, Umm Ghuwailina, Umm Qarn, Umm Lekhba, Bin Omran, Bin Mahmoud, Bu Sidra, Al Thumama, Al Jumailiya, Al Kharaitiyat, Al Jeryan, Al Huwaila, Al Kharrara, Al Khalidiya, Al Kharsaah, Al Kheesa, Al Dafna, Al Doha Al Jadeed, Al Thakira, Al Soudan, Al Sailiya, Al Sheehaniya, Al Ebb, The Pearl, Al Murra, Al Messila, Al Mirqab Al Jadeed, Al Meshaf, Al Mamoura, Industrial Area, Al Najada, Al Hilal, Al Wajba, Umm Ghuwailina, Al Khor, Al Duhail, Al Rayyan Al Jadeed, Al Rayyan Al Qadeem, Al Sadd, Simaisma, Al Sailiya, Al Sheehaniya, Al Shamal, Al Azeeziya, Bani Hajer, Bu Samra, Bu Sidra, Dukhan, Raas Lafan, Rawdat Al Hamama, Rawdat Al Khail, Rawdat Al Fars, Rawdat Aba Al Heeran, Semaisma, Onaiza, Fereej Al Nasr, Fereej bin Dirham, Fereej Al Manaseer, Fereej bin Omran, Fereej bin Mahmood, Fereej Abdul Aziz, Leibeib, Legataifiya, Meraikh, Mesaieed, Messaimeer, Msheirib, Nuaija, Wadi Al Sail, Ain Kahled, Al Ghanem Al Jadeed, Al Gharrafa, Fereej bin Omar, Al Luqta, Madinat Al Shamal, Madina Khalifa South, Madina Khalifa North, Al Matar Qadeem, Hamad International Airport, Al Mamoura, Muaither South, Muaither North, Al Najma, Al Wakra and Al Wukair.    

The bus depots at Lusail, Al Wakra, Al Soudan, Education City, and Industrial Area will be completed in the third quarter of 2021. The Ministry of Transport and Communications (MoTC) tweeted that 68% of the works of these stations have been completed with arrangements to bring a major facelift to Qatar's public transportation sector. The works at Msheireb and Al Gharrafa have reached 31% and the two terminals will open during the first quarter of 2022. The bus depots are being set up as part of the Public Bus Infrastructure Programme that MoTC is carrying out in collaboration with Public Works Authority (Ashghal). The facilities are being designed in accordance with Global Sustainability Assessment System (GSAS), the first performance-based system in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region, developed for rating green buildings and infrastructures. The bus depots and stations have important design and operational considerations with three-star environmental quality for energy saving and environmental conservation. The new depots will include a bus care centre and bus parking spaces fully equipped with an infrastructure supportive of e-bus charging. They will also include residential and recreational facilities and mosques. The bus depot in Lusail will have parking canopies powered by highly-efficient solar panels, making it the first bus depot in the region to rely on solar energy as a renewable source of clean energy. The solar panels – totalling 10,720 units to generate four megawatts per day - plus the power station as a conventional source of energy, will provide the necessary energy for operating electric charging devices and the whole project at large, in line with highest standards and specifications. The Lusail bus depot will also include 217 units of 150kilowatt dual bus charging devices, five 300kilowatt fast bus electric charging devices and 474 bus parking spaces. The bus depots at Lusail, Al Rayyan, Industrial Area and Al Wakra extend from 129,000sq m to 190,000sq m in size, with an an average capacity of accommodating 25 vehicles each. Ashghal is also working on 2,700 air-conditioned bus stops on all major roads to serve thousands of passengers in many areas. These bus stops will allow passengers to wait inside in comfort and protect them from direct exposure to sunlight and humidity. In addition to bus depots, the the Public Bus Infrastructure Programme also includes the 'Park and Ride' parking spaces, bus stations and ferry (water taxi) terminals. Work to establish four new sites under the 'Park and Ride' project has been wrapped up, as part of the first package of the programme. Two of the sites at Al Qassar and Al Wakra were inaugurated for the public in January 2020. The other two at Lusail and Education City are nearing 100% completion and will be ready to open soon. The programme includes establishing a ferry terminal and parking spaces (water taxi) under the fourth package at Lusail, Doha Port, Hamad International Airport and the Pearl. It aims to achieve integration with the public transit systems countrywide and support transportation operations during the FIFA 2022 World Cup Qatar and beyond. Another objective is to increase public transit ridership by offering high-quality service and facilities with the world best technologies and specifications. The programme reflects MoTC’s keenness to implement the strategy of switching to clean energy in transportation to reduce carbon emissions of conventional vehicles and improve the overall air and climate quality in Qatar. Among key strategy objectives is supporting transit operations during FIFA 2022 to make Qatar second-to-none worldwide in using electric, eco-friendly vehicles during a FIFA championship, let alone integration with other public transit systems.    

While continuing its race towards achieving the goal in going green in the transportation sector, Qatar is set to adopt an electric vehicle charging strategy. National Programme for Conservation and Energy Efficiency (Tarsheed) president engineer Abdulaziz Ahmed al- Hammadi, explained that the strategy will be announced next month. Addressing a virtual press conference on Thursday, he pointed out that the Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation (Kahramaa) is working with other authorities including the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MoTC) and the Public Works Authority (Ashghal). The strategy includes setting up infrastructure needed for the electric vehicle charging project and specifications for electric chargers. "The most important features of this strategy are the identification of public places to set up the charging points," the official said. Kahramaa has plans to set up 200 to 500 charging points for electric cars across the country by 2022. The charging points will be at shopping malls, residential areas, stadiums, parks and government offices. Also, Kahramaa aims to produce 700MW from solar panels by 2022. In 2019, Kahramaa launched Tarsheed Photovoltaic Station for Energy Storage and Charging Electric Vehicles. The station functions as a charging point for vehicles with electricity produced from solar energy via 216 photovoltaic panels that are divided into two areas with a total area of 270 sq m. The entire area is equal to the row for 24 cars’ spaces. The total power produced from these panels is 72 KW peak. The station contains a unit that has two connections of Combo and CHAdeMO types that are compatible with different types of vehicles. The unit allows two cars to be charged at a time with a rapid charging level of 15 – 20 minutes. The maximum charging capacity is 100 kw. The station also contains a power storage unit in a battery with a capacity of 170 kw/h. The charging cord of 100 kw is enough to charge three cars. The surplus energy will be exported to the grid after charging the battery.    

The growing number of Covid-19 cases among children in Qatar is due to several reasons, particularly the spread of the new mutated strains of the virus and family visits, a senior health official has said. Dr Hamad al-Rumaihi, director of the Health Protection and Communicable Diseases Control Department at the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH), told Qatar TV Thursdaythat the cases could also be attributed to the fact that there is less adherence to the Covid-19 precautionary measures among children, especially maintaining a safe distance from others. Besides, he added, children (under 16) are not yet eligible to receive the Covid-19 vaccine. Meanwhile, Dr al-Rumaihi said a person receiving one dose of the vaccine outside Qatar will be quarantined once s/he returns to Doha and there will be no exemption. "So, we recommend they complete the vaccination and then come to Qatar," he said. “Every country has priorities in the vaccination programme. In Qatar, people who get one dose from abroad will be quarantined and not be exempted from quarantine," he said, adding: "If a person receives one dose abroad, it is possible for him/her to take the second dose in Qatar, but our current priority is for citizens and residents of the country." Regarding vaccination for those who have recovered from Covid-19 infection, Dr al-Rumaihi said such a person can take the vaccine even though s/he has immunity for at least three months. “The person can decide to get vaccination before the end of this period upon recovering from the infection and getting out of quarantine after two weeks. However, if this person has received plasma and was hospitalised, the vaccination should be postponed for three months," he said. "Under the current protocol, the person can take two doses of the vaccine," Dr al-Rumaihi added, responding to a query on whether a recovered patient is to be given one dose or both doses of the vaccine. He explained that some countries and studies say one dose is sufficient. “This is currently being studied," he said, noting that the current protocol provides for giving both the doses.    

No allowances will be deducted for teachers if their Covid-19 sick leave period is seven or 14 days, Ministry of Education and Higher Education's (MoEHE) undersecretary Dr Ibrahim bin Saleh al-Nuaimi said on Thursday. “The ministry considers it as exceptional sick leave. There will not be deductions during such leave for a week or 14 days or even more if the patient is hospitalised for a longer period," he told Qatar TV's Social Distance programme. Regarding the Cabinet decision to allow 50% of the employees to work from home, Dr al-Nuaimi explained that the MoEHE and other ministries have been given exemption as their nature of work requires the presence of more employees. "The 50% decision is applied in the ministry to many employees whose work does not require their presence in school buildings. We reduced the number of teaching hours to three per day and allowed teachers to focus on imparting excellent education for students without any additional burdens." More than 80% of the administrative and teaching cadres in schools have been vaccinated, the senior official said. Regarding the requirement of teachers to be present in schools, Dr al-Nuaimi stressed that the availability of technology, including smart boards in classrooms, is very important to complete the interactive teaching-learning process.    

The National Programme for Conservation and Energy Efficiency (Tarsheed) of the Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation (Kahramaa) helped the country save about QR300mn in 2020 by reducing energy consumption by 289 gigawatt-hours (GWh) and water by 32mn cum. Also, Tarsheed succeeded in saving an estimated 3,207mn cu ft of gas and reducing 0.4mn tonne of carbon emission, as highlighted yesterday by Kahramaa at an online press conference in the presence of president Essa bin Hilal al-Kuwari and Tarsheed president Abdulaziz al-Hammadi. Al-Kuwari recalled that Tarsheed was established in line with diversification of energy sources and adoption of sustainability systems in accordance with the Qatar National Vision 2030 and the Second National Development Strategy 2018-2022. "Tarsheed’s efforts aim to efficiently and effectively manage the vital resources of Qatar,” he noted adding that the efforts continue to spread the culture and methods of energy efficiency. A number of important initiatives were implemented in 2020. These include the application of regulations and standards for the use of resources in various sectors and the initiative for energy efficiency standards for air-conditioners in addition to the introduction of the first project in Qatar for a photovoltaic station with a system energy storage for charging electric cars. The initiative to reduce electricity and water consumption in the residential sector by 5% was recently launched. Al-Hammadi noted that Tarsheed has accomplished technical and awareness initiatives and implemented many innovative solutions and projects. These include a number of infrastructure models for electric vehicle charging stations, including the first photovoltaic station project with the energy storage system in Qatar. “There is a programme in co-operation with the Ministry of Transport and Communications to launch the first electric passenger bus and its charging stations and to establish the strategic infrastructure for the charging stations in the country in a bid to encourage the use of environmentally friendly means of transport and contribute to a significant reduction in carbon emissions,” he said. Tarsheed's most recent initiative to reduce electricity and water consumption in the residential sector by 5% is closely related to the sustainability goals of Qatar and the 17 global strategic goals in accordance with the Paris Agreement signed by Qatar to reduce its carbon emission and combat climate change. Al-Hammadi urged all sections of the society to co-operate in order to achieve desired results through the initiative. ends...    

About 98.4% of the people who have received the Covid-19 vaccine have not been infected with the virus, a senior health official has said. Only about 1.5% of those vaccinated got infected either after the first or second dose, Dr Muna al-Maslamani, medical director of the Communicable Disease Center at Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), told Qatar TV on Monday. This was observed by monitoring about 400,000 vaccinated people from the start of the vaccination programme until March 28, she said. Dr al-Maslamani said the Pfizer/BionTech and Moderna vaccines, according to the manufacturers, are effective against the new mutated strains from the UK and South Africa, but more studies are needed in this regard. Regarding the duration of the effectiveness of vaccines, she said preliminary study indicate that the effectiveness of vaccines in forming antibodies lasts for six months. "But I do not expect their effectiveness to stop after this period, because the companies are following up on vaccinated patients and conducting studies. We are awaiting the outcomes of these studies which will answer questions, including whether to extend the effectiveness of vaccines to one year or not, and if it is possible for Covid-19 to turn into a seasonal virus like seasonal influenza and thus require an annual vaccine," she added. She also called on people who have recovered from Covid-19 to donate plasma through the Communicable Disease Center to treat other coronavirus patients. “We face a shortage of plasma and are in need of donors, as acute cases in intensive care require plasma therapy, especially those who suffer from liver or kidney ailments," she added.

  *Act responsibly to reduce cases; we are still in the middle of the second wave of Covid-19: Dr al-Khal If everyone takes responsibility and acts appropriately over the next two to four weeks, Qatar can begin to see a decline in Covid-19 cases and consider easing of some of the restrictions, senior health official Dr Abdullatif al-Khal said Wednesday. "The announcement of new restrictions, just one week before the start of the Holy Month of Ramadan, will be difficult for many people, but as always, as individuals and as a community, we have the will and the power to suppress the spread of the virus like we did the first time," he told a press conference. The chair of the National Strategic Group on Covid-19 and head of the Infectious Diseases Division at Hamad Medical Corporation cautioned that "if we fail to play our part in following the restrictions and preventive measures, and cases continue to rise, we may need to escalate the restrictions further." Dr al-Khal assured that despite the rise in the number of people requiring hospital admission, the healthcare system has sufficient capacity to ensure everyone who needs medical care can receive it without delay. "Despite the strict quarantine policy in place for all travellers, the UK and South African strains have arrived in Qatar causing more severe symptoms than the original strain. "We believe the South Africa variant has had a significant impact on the rise of Covid-19 cases in the past 10 days. "During the past two weeks, we have seen a significant increase in the number of new daily Covid-19 cases and we have recorded more than 900 new cases each day over the past few days," he pointed out. "Of particular concern is the high number of people in intensive care. This figure is now significantly higher than at the peak of the first wave last year. Most of the cases are reported from professionals and due to social visits. "Hospital admissions are increasingly reported compared to the first wave and more deaths too during the last few days. There is a significant increase in the number of intensive care and hospital admission, due to the emergence of new strains. 'We are still in the middle of the second wave of the Covid-19 and not reached the peak of infections yet. The South African strain had a great impact on the increase in the number of cases of Covid-19 during the past 10 days. "During the past week, 1,468 new patients were admitted to the hospital due to the presence of severe inflammation in the lungs, and 266 cases were admitted to ICU. "Both Pfizer and Moderna vaccines have been proven effective against the South African and the UK strains. The rate of testing positive among those who have symptoms has increased to 30%. Among those in contact it has reached 11%. This is a high rate. Dr al-Khal also cited the achievement of one million doses of vaccination Wednesday. About 25,000 people are being vaccinated daily. A total of 26% of adults and 77% of people over 60 years have received the first dose. The senior official recalled that at the start of the year when the number of cases began to rise steadily, Qatar acted quickly to introduce further restrictions . "These restrictions proved effective at suppressing the spread of the virus for many weeks and the number of new daily infections remained steady. "However, the introduction of the UK variant into the community in March saw further increases in cases and notably hospitalisations and we responded with further restrictions. "The latest development in this pandemic of the circulation of the South African variant has meant we are once again moving quickly to further increase the restrictions," he added.

The Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation (Kahramaa), represented by the National Programme for Conservation and Energy Efficiency (Tarsheed), on Wednesday launched its new initiative to reduce water and electricity consumption by 5% in the residential sector. Making the announcement, Tarsheed president engineer Abdulaziz al-Hammadi said the objective is to obtain the reduction in consumption by using practical and available solutions at the lowest possible cost. The initiative contributes to Qatar National Vision 2030 by raising awareness, endorsing rationalisation techniques and promoting responsible consumer behaviour with detailed follow-up techniques being implemented to provide customers with support and guarantee long-term results. The initiative will be implemented in 2021 and 2022 in four basic phases. It’s designed according to the consumption pattern and housing type for everyone who takes part. The first phase which involves introducing the initiative, its goals, expected results, and filling out the residential consumption questionnaire, will be carried from April 11, 2021 to May 20, 2021. To be run from May 20, 2021 to July 31, 2021, the second stage is to analyse the results of the questionnaires and launch an interactive platform on the Tarsheed page on the Kahramaa website to follow up on the participants on how to reduce 5% of the electricity and water consumption in every home. During the third phase, from August 1, 2021 to January 31, 2022, an interactive platform through an electronic application will be launched. This will provide a plan designed for each subscriber to achieve the efficiency of electricity and water use specifically in each house and according to the number of electrical appliances and the quality of water tools. The fourth phase will be run from February 1, 2022 to March 1, 2022 while evaluating the previous phases. Results of the initiative will be announced during this phase. "We expect that this initiative will achieve effective results in the case of saving electricity by 5%, which is estimated at about 600 gigawatts per hour. In the case of saving 5% of water it’s about 11mn cu m. This will help the country achieve savings estimated at about QR 212 mn,” al-Hammadi said. The questionnaire is available on Kahramaa’s website. Engineer Mohamed Khalid al-Sharshani, head of the technical section at Tarsheed, said intensified awareness campaigns will be carried out with the support of media and social media in order to yield best results.

* Number of participating schools reaches 56 The number of schools taking part in the Qatar Beautification and Our Kids Planting Trees campaign within the Plant Million Trees initiative has reached 56. According to the latest figures available with the Public Works Authority (Ashghal), the total number of planted trees has reached 367,386 with more than 800 students taking part in the initiative. The participants have planted trees at various parks, project sites and on building premises and streets. The campaign launched in September 2019 aims to afforest various areas while continuing until the end of 2021. According to Ashghal, the campaign has so far covered various localities within Doha along with places in Al Khor and Al Thakhira Municipality. Also, campaigns have been held so far in Al Sheehaniya, Al Rayyan, Al Nasraniyya and Al Wakra, while trees have been planted at Al Watiyyat Interchange within the Sabah Al Ahmad Corridor, 5/6 Park, Al Abraj Park, Al Ebb Park, Al Furousiya Street, Al Jamiaa Street Development Project, Al Karaana Lagoon, Qatar Foundation and Khalifa Street. The Supervisory Committee of Beautification of Roads and Public Places in Qatar is implementing the Qatar Beautification and Our Kids Planting Trees campaign. The committee works under the Ministry of Municipality and Environment, in co-ordination with several ministries and other entities such as the Ministry of Transport and Communications, Ministry of Culture and Sports, Qatar Museums, Qatar Rail, Private Engineering Office and others. The committee is responsible for five major tasks, including the construction of central public parks, provision of dedicated lanes for pedestrians and bicycles, development of the Doha Corniche and Central Doha and increasing afforestation and green areas. The committee’s work will enhance sustainability through minimising environmental pollution and reducing the emission of CO2 through reduced consumption of energy resources. It also focuses on the provision of more public transport options aiming at reduced use of private cars and improving lifestyle through clean and safe transportation. Further, it is intended to ensure a healthy environment within residential neighbourhoods and places of public gatherings through increased afforestation and landscaping, which will greatly help in reducing the temperature in cities. Ashghal has urged institutions, organisations and companies to take part in the initiative. They can register at https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/810bcdb629974cbe9bead086985e3a70?portalUrl=https://geodev.ashghal.gov.qa/devportal.