*MoI to strengthen patrolling to ensure people don’t go out unnecessarily during Eid
The Ministry of Interior (MoI) has urged people in Qatar to follow the Covid-19 precautionary and preventive measures and not step out of home unnecessarily during Eid al-Fitr.
During a telephonic conversation with AlRayyan TV, Brigadier Abdullah Khalifa al-Muftah, director of the MoI's Public Relations Department, said the ministry is implementing the decisions taken by the Cabinet to curb the spread of Covid-19 in the country.
Brigadier al-Muftah said patrols will be carried out by different security departments in order to ensure that the preventive measures are followed. Besides, Al-Fazaa and the Internal Security Force (Lekhwiya) will also conduct patrols to look for violations of the decision on the closure of shops - except those specifically exempted.
The MoI official urged residents to comply with the Cabinet's recent decision that requires all citizens and residents "not to have more than two people in a vehicle” while travelling. A maximum of three persons are allowed if travelling in taxis and limousines, or in private vehicles driven by a family member.
Ambulances and vehicles of the Ministry of Public Health, as well as those of the security and military authorities, are excluded from this.
He noted that children are to be included while considering the number of people in a vehicle and urged everyone to take kids out of the home only if it's absolutely necessary.
"Children shouldn't be taken out (of home) without a valid reason such as medical care," he stressed.
Brigadier al-Muftah asked people to abstain from family visits during Eid, noting that it is everyone's responsibility to follow the restrictions put in place and all the efforts being made will be negatively impacted if some people flout the rules.
Besides determining the number of people in a vehicle, the Cabinet had also taken a decision stipulating that "all citizens and residents are obligated to instal the Ehteraz app on smartphones when leaving the house for any reason". This decision is effective until further notice.
Further, the Cabinet had taken a decision on closing shops and stopping all commercial activities until May 30, except food and catering shops, pharmacies, restaurants that provide delivery services and other necessary activities determined by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
Earlier, the Cabinet had decided that people in Qatar have to compulsorily wear face masks while stepping out of home for any reason, except “when a person is alone while driving a vehicle”.
The MoI's Public Relations Department recently released posters on wearing facemasks when leaving the house, the decision on not to have more than two persons in a vehicle and the mandatory download of Ehteraz as part of an awareness campaigns. The posters have been issued in Arabic, English, Hindi, Urdu, Nepalese, Bengali, Sinhalese, Tagalog, Tamil, Malayalam and Indonesian.
The ministry has a hotline, 44579999, for reporting complaints related to violations of the health quarantine requirements. People can also call 999, the emergency number - for reporting complaints related to violations of the law prohibiting gatherings. 992 is the emergency number for the deaf.
