Qatar Tighten Restrictions, All Shops to Close until End of May

The Minister of Justice and Acting Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs recently announced in a press conference that some commercial and service activities are suspended for this year’s Eid Al-Fitr holiday. This decision became effective on May 19, 2020.

ALSO READ: List of Public Holidays in Qatar this 2020

In the past two months, the Cabinet has been implementing decisions to ensure the health and safety of everyone. Due to the present circumstances, most activities and businesses have been restricted.

qatar closes all shops

Decision to Close all Commercial and Service Activities until May 30, 2020

In time for the Eid Al-Fitr holiday celebration, certain commercial and services activities will be suspended. The temporary suspension takes effect on May 19 until May 30, 2020. Other similar measures have been implemented since March.

Previous Eid al-Fitr activities include carnivals and decorations to celebrate the end of Ramadan. Muslims also say their prayers in mosques or large open areas.

However, there are some commercial establishments that are excluded from this suspension. This is done to ensure that everyone can still avail of the basic services. These are the establishments that are still allowed to operate:

  • Supermarkets, hypermarkets, and groceries
  • Vegetable and fruit shops
  • Restaurants – only for delivery
  • Sweets shops
  • Bakeries
  • Pharmacies and drugstores
  • Stand-alone clinics
  • Gas stations
  • Car repair shops
  • Factories located in the industrial area
  • Contracting and engineering companies
  • Plumbing and electrical service providers
  • Financial institutions
  • Telecommunications companies
  • Delivery companies
  • Hospitality companies
  • Logistics services especially those operating in the airports and ports

All the other sectors not mentioned in the Cabinet decision will suspend their operations until the end of May. These sectors are expected to comply, or risk being fined.

Additional Cabinet Decisions to be Implemented

On May 19, 2020 and until further notice, these decisions took effect:

Passengers in vehicles will be limited. There can only be three passengers, excluding the driver, in private cars, taxis and limousines. Vehicles exempted from this passenger limit are ambulance, fire trucks, and government vehicles.

Buses will still accommodate passengers up to half the capacity. This limit on the number of passengers has also been mandated before.

Sports activities are allowed but should be held near the residence. Participants are still required to wear masks and practice social distancing.

Residents and citizens must install the EHTERAZ app in their smartphones when they leave the house. This decision will take effect on May 22, 2020 until further notice.

The people are advised that these additional decisions may change depending on the situation. It is important to abide by these rules to avoid being penalized. Everyone is also encouraged to always check with official sources, as well as visit the ministry’s website and social media channels for the latest updates.

suspend all commercial activities close all shops until end of may