Children below 18 exempted from hotel quarantine if parents vaccinated

The Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) has announced new procedures to ensure the continued facilitation of the entry process into the State of Qatar through its air, land, and seaports for travellers who have completed vaccination against the Coronavirus (COVID-19) with vaccines approved by the Ministry in the State of Qatar, as of July 12, 2021.

A new package of precautionary measures will be applied to citizens, residents, and visitors to make the travel experience easy and safe while preserving public health in the country and the measures previously taken to limit the spread of COVID-19.

According to MoPH, fully vaccinated individuals are exempted from quarantine if they are fully vaccinated with a MOPH recognised vaccine (Pfizer BioNTech, Moderna, Oxford-AstraZeneca and Janssen/Johnson&Johnson) and at least 14 days have passed after receiving the second dose of a two-dose series vaccine or from the single-dose in case of single-dose vaccine.

Unvaccinated travellers or those vaccinated with other vaccines not recognised in Qatar, and those who fall short of the 14 days vaccine administration period since the second dose will be subject to quarantine for a period depending on the country's classification of travel from.

Travellers in this category are required to book a hotel package through Discover Qatar if they are coming from Yellow (7 days) or Red countries (10 days). Children 0-11 years old will follow the same entry regime of their parents. If the latter are vaccinated, the children will be considered vaccinated. Unvaccinated children 12-17 years old will be required do quarantine as for the procedure assigned to the country of departure.

In case of hotel quarantine, they will be accompanied by one parent, even if the latter is vaccinated. Passengers coming to Qatar from all entries will also have to pre-register on the Ehteraz website (www.Ehteraz.gov.qa) and attach all the required documents before arriving in the country for no less than 12 hours.

Citizens, residents, and visitors who have completed vaccination with vaccines approved by the Ministry of Public Health when travelling to Qatar will need to conduct a PCR test at a health center approved by the Ministry of Health in the country from which they are coming.

The certificate shall be valid for 72 hours upon their arrival in Qatar.

The MoPH noted that this procedure applies to all citizens and residents who are not vaccinated

The new procedures also included classification lists for countries of arrival (green, yellow, red) and a quarantine policy for each classification applied to travelers coming to Qatar. Qatar is one of the top ten countries globally in terms of the percentage of the population who have completed their vaccination.

Because of the success of the national vaccination campaign in the country, this step can be achieved smoothly. All travelers must familiarize themselves with the procedures that have been introduced upon entering the country, knowing that these procedures can be changed without prior notice.

The MoPH also urges citizens and residents travelling abroad during the summer to be cautious while travelling and apply preventive measures, which include (wearing a mask, avoiding crowded places, and constantly sterilizing hands).

More information is available at www.moph.gov. qa

Qatar exempts unvaccinated children below 18 from hotel quarantine in travel policy update

All unvaccinated children arriving in Qatar are exempt from hotel quarantine if their parents are fully vaccinated with an MOPH-approved vaccine, according to the latest update to a new travel policy coming into effect on July 12.

This is a departure from the original policy announced on Thursday, which made hotel quarantine mandatory for unvaccinated children aged 12 to 17, even if they are accompanied by fully-vaccinated parents. No hotel quarantine was required for children aged up to 11.

The updated policy has now eliminated the need for institutional quarantine for the older age group of unvaccinated children but has made seven-day home quarantine mandatory for the whole age bracket. They will be subjected to a PCR test on day 6.

“Unvaccinated children aged below 18, whether returning from travel alone or with their parents, must remain in home quarantine for seven days upon arrival, provided that both parents are vaccinated,” the updated policy said.

The hotel quarantine exemption is also extended to vaccinated individuals who received their second dose in Qatar and have not completed the specified period of 14 days from the date of the second dose. They are also required to remain in home quarantine for seven days, or until they complete the duration of 14 days following the second dose, whichever is shorter.

Unvaccinated individuals aged 75 and above can also choose to go on home quarantine, with one escort from the same household.

This applies to pregnant women returning to the country with their vaccinated husbands, or a vaccinated relative from the same household and lactating mothers and their infants aged 2 years and below returning to the country with their vaccinated husbands or a vaccinated relative from the same household.

Unvaccinated patients treated abroad at the expenses of Qatar with one escort from the same household. This applies after assessing the patient’s health condition by the relevant department at MOPH. 

The above-mentioned groups must sign an undertaking showing their compliance with the home quarantine measures. However, for those aged below 18, their parents or guardian shall sign the undertaking affirming their children’s compliance with the home quarantine regulations. 

Qatar on Thursday announced a new travel policy that waived off hotel quarantine for all arrivals fully vaccinated with a vaccine approved by the Ministry of Public Health.

The new policy is aimed at ensuring the continued facilitation of the entry process into the country through air, land and sea ports for travellers.

The new travel policy will come into effect from July 12.

A new package of precautionary measures will be applied to citizens, residents and visitors, which were developed with the aim of making the travel experience easy and safe while safeguarding public health and the measures previously taken to limit the spread of COVID-19.