For some time now, the coronavirus and the Covid-19 disease are wreaking havoc all over the world. It is clear that Covid-19 is a serious illness with a high mortality rate, especially among the elderly and people with preexisting conditions. What makes Covid-19 very dangerous is the high contamination rate, and the fact that you can carry the virus without hardly showing any symptoms or getting very ill. This means that you can spread the virus inadvertently, without realising it. 
Because of the high contamination danger Covid-19 has to be fought at different levels.  Medically of course this is done by conducting tests and treating the affected patients in the best way possible. This is in the hand of the medical professionals, of which luckily we have many and of the best quality here in Qatar.  Medical precautions are taken to deal with the worst cases.
As far as limiting the spread of the disease is concerned, we can all help, by adhering to some basic rules and by following the guidelines issued by the authorities.   
In Qatar there has been an all-encompassing approach in response to the Covid-19 threat.
The influx from outside was stemmed by adopting travel and entry restrictions, and by imposing quarantine on returning travellers.
In order to stop community transmission of the virus, a comprehensive set of measures was put in place, announced by the ministry of public health.  Public places such as restaurants and parks were closed and some areas locked down. Citizens and residents were being called upon to avoid crowded places and to postpone holding social gatherings. 
All members of society are asked to apply some simple preventive measures to stem the spread of the virus. This includes washing your hands frequently, using your sleeve to cover nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing, and keeping a distance.
Additional measures were taken regarding e-government and food security, awareness campaigns launched, and government call centres set up. Further actions were launched by the ministry of commerce, the ministry of municipality and environment, the ministry of labour.   
The State of Qatar is to be commended for this comprehensive approach, and I call upon everybody to adhere to guidelines put in place.  It is our common responsibility to stop the spread of Covid-19 and we can all help in our own way. It seems especially important to stay at home as much as possible and to limit our exposure. Remember that even when you might not get necessarily ill yourself, you can pass the virus to other people.
I would like to express a special and very big thank you to all first line responders in this crisis. All supporting staff deserve our praise, from the doctors and nurses to the cleaners, the cooks, the truck drivers and so may other people, taking care of patients and working around the clock to make sure all services are assured.
The Belgian community in Qatar is contributing to the nation-wide response to the virus, and I would like to thank all Belgians for the role they are playing each at their level. We invite everybody to follow the guidelines and instructions as issued by the Qatari authorities and of course, the embassy can always be contacted if needed.
As a result of our common efforts, we hope to get results as people are leaving quarantine and being discharged from hospitals. It is heartwarming in the meanwhile to see so many initiatives by people helping others in many small ways. These actions make us grow as a society, driven by compassion and resolve.