The Ministry of Commerce and Industry announces the second stage of the gradual lifting of restrictions on malls, shopping centres, street markets and restaurants located in tourist areas

July 02, 2020
In line with the previous decisions and measures adopted by Qatar to preserve the health and safety of citizens and residents, and to limit the spread of the coronavirus (Covid-19)

The Ministry of Commerce and Industry announced the second stage of the gradual lifting of restrictions imposed on malls, shopping centres, street markets, and restaurants that are located in tourist areas, effective from Wednesday, July 1, 2020.

The Ministry stated that this step is in line with the previous decisions and measures adopted by Qatar to protect the health and safety of citizens and residents, and to limit the spread of the coronavirus (Covid-19).

The Ministry explained that, starting from July 1, all retail outlets will be allowed to resume their activities in malls and commercial centres, while gaming centres, amusement parks, skateboard arenas, prayer rooms and cinemas will remain closed for the time being.

 

Restaurants operating inside malls and commercial centres will be allowed to deliver to home addresses, or hand over orders at the restaurant only. This decision also prohibits any artistic, cultural or recreational activities at malls and commercial centres, the Ministry added.

The decision allows all commercial outlets to resume their operations in the following street markets: The Gold Souq, Souq Al Ali, Al Gharafa Market, Thursday & Friday Market, Souq Waqif (Doha), Souq Al Wakrah, Al Sailiya Central Market.

The Ministry affirmed that malls, commercial centres and street markets must adhere to the precautionary and preventive measures outlined by the Ministry of Public Health and the Ministry of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Affairs, and comply with the following guidelines: allowing shoppers onto the premises only after checking the colour code identifying the individual’s health condition in the Ehteraz app, as only green code holders are allowed in.

 

The measures also include barring people not wearing a medical mask from commercial outlets, compelling visitors to wear one throughout their time on the premises, checking and measuring the body temperature of workers and visitors upon arrival, and not allowing individuals with a temperature higher than 38 degrees Celsius to enter.

The measures include providing hand sanitisers across mall facilities, reminding visitors to maintain a safe distance of no less than two metres from other individuals at all times, operating at less than 50% of the mall’s regular capacity, and reducing the number of parking spaces available to visitors to 50%.

The measures also include barring smoking at mall entrances, and removing all containers designated for cigarette waste, and preventing the gathering of visitors and limousine or taxi drivers at the entrance to malls.

 

The Ministry also obligated all shops and retail outlets operating inside malls, commercial centres and street markets to continuously check the body temperature of the outlet’s staff, isolate employees who exhibit symptoms, and inform concerned authorities to take the necessary precautions and health measures in this regard.

 

Stores must abide by the decision to allow employees aged 60 and above, in addition to pregnant women and staff with chronic diseases, to work remotely. Additionally, placing safe distancing stickers on the store’s floor is mandatory; receiving customers according to the store’s capacity, with no less than nine square metres per person, is required; encouraging customers to pay by using credit cards rather than using cash; and sterilising all the outlet’s facilities including administrative offices, warehouses, employee housing and affiliated transportation facilities.

Restaurants located in tourist areas

With regard to restaurants, the Ministry announced that restaurants have been allowed to resume operations from Wednesday, July 1, in the following tourist areas: Souq Waqif, Souq Al Wakrah, the Pearl-Qatar, Katara Cultural Village, restaurants and kiosks in sports clubs and tourist area, Qatar museums, Al-Hazim and Msheireb.

The Ministry emphasised the importance of adhering to the precautionary and preventive measures outlined by the Ministry of Public Health and the Ministry of Administrative Development, labour and Social Affairs, and complying with the following guidelines: requiring clients to pre-book before coming to the restaurant; allowing diners into the restaurant only after checking the colour code identifying the individual’s health condition in the Ehteraz app, with only green code holders allowed in; barring people not wearing a medical mask; checking the body temperature of diners at the entrance, and barring any customer whose temperature is above 38 degrees Celsius. In addition, serving shisha and operating an open buffet service are prohibited, as only pre-defined menus are to be served.

 

The Ministry compelled restaurants to provide hand sanitisers across restaurant facilities, place safe distance stickers on restaurant floors, redistribute the furniture, leaving no less than two metres between each table, allow a maximum of five people to sit at each table (excluding members of a single family), reduce the restaurant’s capacity to 50% of the maximum number of diners, and encourage customers to pay using credit cards rather than cash.

 

The measures also include reducing the number of parking spaces available to clients to 50%, barring smoking at restaurant entrances, and removing all containers designated for cigarette waste; barring gathering of diners or limousine and taxi drivers at the entrance to the outlet; continuously checking the body temperature of the restaurant’s staff; isolating employees who exhibit symptoms; and informing concerned authorities to take the necessary precautions and health measures in this regard.

The Ministry also compelled restaurants to sterilise all the outlet’s facilities, including administrative offices, warehouses, employee housing, and affiliated transportation facilities.

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The decision allows restaurants and kiosks in sports clubs and tourist areas to resume their operations by delivering or providing takeaway orders only, and not allowing customers to be present within the facility.

 

Restaurants, cafeterias and cafes (coffee shops) in malls, shopping centres and other, non-designated tourist areas are allowed to deliver to home addresses or hand over orders to customers outside their activity site.

 

The Ministry said this decision is subject to amendment according to the latest developments in this regard, and any violation of this decision will subject perpetrators to legal accountability and procedures. The Ministry stressed that the success of each stage of the comprehensive plan for the gradual lifting of the restrictions depends on the adherence of all citizens and residents to the required preventive and precautionary measures.

 

The Ministry of Commerce and Industry urges consumers to report any violations or infringements through the following communication channels:

 

Call Center: 16001

Email: info@moci.gov.qa

– The Ministry of Commerce and Industry accounts on social media:

– Twitter @MOCIQATAR

– Instagram MOCIQATAR

The Ministry of Commerce and Industry’s application on iPhone and Android devices MOCIQATAR