The Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) issued an update on quarantine and personnel testing protocol for COVID-19, taking effect from April 25, 2021.

The Ministry stated that if a person recovering from COVID-19 has had any contact with an infected person or suspected of having the disease and did not show symptoms of infection, the individual is exempt from quarantine provided that the individual has procured a laboratory-confirmed result stating that he has recovered from COVID-19 and fulfill the quarantine criteria.

This should be within six months of the first positive result of the COVID-19 test. Furthermore, one should also undergo a COVID-19 test to rule out an asymptomatic infection. Recovered persons can obtain an extract to confirm prior infection from their health center.

سيبدأ العمل بهذا البروتوكول الجديد اعتبارا من يوم الاحد المقبل الموافق لـ 25 أبريل 2021.

وزارة الصحة العامة تصدر تحديثاً لبروتوكول الحجر الصحي واختبار الأفراد في سياق (كوفيد-19)​​https://t.co/M2Oqtdhoiq pic.twitter.com/DlU6NgSsNr

— وزارة الصحة العامة (@MOPHQatar) April 21, 2021

However, if a person recovering from COVID-19 meets the requirements for exemption from quarantine develops symptoms similar to those with the virus within fourteen days of contact with an infected person, he must isolate himself from others and be clinically evaluated about the possibility of infection.

This will also include performing a COVID-19 PCR examination, and in the event that the result is negative and no other cause for these symptoms has been identified, he may be asked to re-test for the coronavirus.

The Ministry indicated that the person recovering from COVID-19 is exempted from quarantine upon his return from travel if the result of the examination is negative upon entering the country, provided that he has recovered from the disease according to a laboratory-confirmed result.

Dr. Maryam Ali Abdul Malik, Director General of the Primary Health Care Corporation, and the leader of the Health Tactical Command Group for Community Services within the governance structure for Coronavirus said, “These rules and guidelines are based on the latest available medical information and evidence, indicating that the quarantine comes within the legal framework of the International Health Regulations (2005). The Ministry of Public Health will continue to update these recommendations as soon as new information becomes available regarding COVID-19.” 

MoPH called on all people, including those recovering from the disease and those who received the vaccine, to continue adhering to precautionary measures, such as wearing masks and maintaining physical distancing, avoiding crowded places and poorly ventilated places, maintaining clean hands, and following national travel guidelines and any instructions issued at the workplace or school.

She stressed that all travelers coming to Qatar must undergo a COVID-19 examination in a medical center accredited by the local Ministry of Health in the country of arrival, within 72 hours before their arrival in the State of Qatar.

"Some groups may be subject to a COVID-19 examination upon arrival at the airport, as determined by the Ministry of Public Health,” she added. 

It is worth noting that the Ministry had recently announced that for the persons who have received the COVID-19 vaccine completely and did not show symptoms similar to the coronavirus after contact with an infected person or suspected of having the disease, he is exempted from quarantine and also exempt from quarantine when returning from travel if the result of the COVID-19 test was negative when entering the country.

Furthermore, MoPH has also issued sick leave guidelines for employees during the isolation and quarantine period.

For more information on MoPH, please visit their website.

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Source: MoPH Qatar