The Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) on Friday announced that those who have received the second dose of Covid-19 vaccine from Qatar can travel out of the country immediately and return without being quarantined, provided they arrive after 14 days.
A statement explained that it does not matter whether the person spends the 14-day period outside Qatar. The ministry has affirmed that exemption from quarantine arrangements apply as long as the return date from travel is 14 days after the second dose, irrespective of the destination they travelled to.
Qatar had announced in February that fully vaccinated people are exempted from quarantine requirements following travel abroad or any exposure to a Covid-19 positive case.
“The quarantine exemption is valid for a period of three months, starting 14 days after the second dose, and this may be extended in the future with the availability of more clinical evidence. The exemption does not currently apply to people vaccinated in other countries,” Dr Abdullatif al-Khal, chair of the National Health Strategic Group on Covid-19 and head of Infectious Diseases at Hamad Medical Corporation had said on the occasion.
Taking part in the Education City Speaker series held in the last week of February, Dr al-Khal had said that the period of exemption from quarantine will be extended as and when more data is available. He had noted that the present period of exemption of three months from quarantine was made from the available data about the duration of protective level of antibodies in the blood following the second dose.
“What we have done is a starting point of quarantine exemption for three months and we are reviewing the literature and the data as it emerges regularly on a daily and weekly basis. And we are ready to extend the quarantine exemption as soon as there is information to do that,” he said.
With the vaccination campaign continuing in full swing in the country, a large number of people are daily receiving the vaccine and the latest MoPH announcement would help the residents and the citizens plan their travel schedule flexibly.
A statement explained that it does not matter whether the person spends the 14-day period outside Qatar. The ministry has affirmed that exemption from quarantine arrangements apply as long as the return date from travel is 14 days after the second dose, irrespective of the destination they travelled to.
Qatar had announced in February that fully vaccinated people are exempted from quarantine requirements following travel abroad or any exposure to a Covid-19 positive case.
“The quarantine exemption is valid for a period of three months, starting 14 days after the second dose, and this may be extended in the future with the availability of more clinical evidence. The exemption does not currently apply to people vaccinated in other countries,” Dr Abdullatif al-Khal, chair of the National Health Strategic Group on Covid-19 and head of Infectious Diseases at Hamad Medical Corporation had said on the occasion.
Taking part in the Education City Speaker series held in the last week of February, Dr al-Khal had said that the period of exemption from quarantine will be extended as and when more data is available. He had noted that the present period of exemption of three months from quarantine was made from the available data about the duration of protective level of antibodies in the blood following the second dose.
“What we have done is a starting point of quarantine exemption for three months and we are reviewing the literature and the data as it emerges regularly on a daily and weekly basis. And we are ready to extend the quarantine exemption as soon as there is information to do that,” he said.
With the vaccination campaign continuing in full swing in the country, a large number of people are daily receiving the vaccine and the latest MoPH announcement would help the residents and the citizens plan their travel schedule flexibly.
