All commercial activities allowed during weekends, starting July 9

After overcoming the peak stage of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak and being successful in flattening the curve, Qatar today enters Phase 2 of the gradual lifting of COVID-19 restrictions in the country as planned initially.

Qatar’s Cabinet held its regular meeting via video conferencing this afternoon.

His Excellency Qatar’s Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al Thani chaired the meeting.

At the beginning of the meeting, cabinet heard a presentation by Minister of Public Health on the latest developments to contain COVID-19, Cabinet affirmed continued implementation of precautionary measures taken to combat COVID-19.

The following were the other decisions made:

Commercial Activities 

Cabinet decided to end working with its decision of closing shops and all commercial activities on Fridays and Saturdays and the decision goes into effect starting Thursday, July 9, 2020.

Qatari Employees 

Cabinet approved draft decision from Minister of Administrative Development, Labor, and Social Affairs on determining the ratio of Qatari employees to non-Qatari employees in the private sector, the draft decision comes in implementation of the provision of labor law no. 14 of 2004.

The draft decision aims to raise the percentage of Qataris working at state-owned companies, or where the state is an investor to 60 percent. The decision also includes other authorities that are subject to the retirement and pensions law.

The draft decision also aims to raise the percentage of Qataris in Human Resources to 80 percent in these authorities.

Other decisions

- The cabinet approved a draft law amending some provisions of decree-law no. 11 of 2012 on government regulation of the buying and selling of chemical and petrochemical products that are produced in Qatar.

- The cabinet reviewed a report of Qatar's population in 2019, and the outcomes of a study by the permanent population committee and its remarks on the report. The cabinet then took the appropriate decisions regarding the matter.

Here's everything you need to know about the virus, including ways to protect yourself.  To know more about testing for COVID-19, click here.

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