How will the Qatar World Cup Affect COVID-19 Cases?
Pandemic measures and restrictions have largely been lifted in many countries around the globe and the world has now opened up businesses, schools, and public places. Likewise, domestic and international travel restrictions have been removed, and people are once again freely getting together in meetings, gatherings, activities, and events of all sorts. However, the emergence and circulation of highly transmissible Omicron subvariants continue to cause upsurges around the world and remind us that the pandemic is yet to be over. Public health experts are now concerned that this year’s Qatar World Cup could lead to significant upsurges in COVID-19 cases. Read along to learn more about the latest updates on COVID-19 regulations in the Qatar World Cup.
How concerning is the Qatar World Cup for the course of the COVID-19 pandemic?
Although the Ministry of Public Health of the State of Qatar has previously implemented certain guidelines to ensure a COVID-19 free event, most of these regulations have been reported to be removed ahead of the event. However, Qatar is expecting an unprecedented 1.2 million visitors throughout the tournament. Thus, the World Cup facilitates ideal conditions for the transmission of SARS-CoV-2, given the level of close contact between the football supporters attending the event. Moreover, the conditions of transportation and accommodation of the attendees pose significant risks for public health and pandemic management. Indeed, the COVID-19 Stringency Index measured by Our World in Data, illustrates that COVID-19 measures and restrictions have largely been removed for both vaccinated and non-vaccinated people since late March this year. Altogether, viral transmission throughout the Qatar World Cup remains a major concern for public health and pandemic management.
What are the latest updates in COVID-19 cases and deaths in Qatar?
The seven-day rolling average of daily new COVID-19 cases provided by Our World in Data demonstrates that following a mild peak in early September, number of infected cases in Qatar has generally dropped. However, the same figure has jumped from around 267 to 421 during the brief period between December 1 and December 4, which may indicate that the FIFA World Cup is already causing a rise in infected cases. On the other hand, the seven-day rolling average of daily new COVID-19 deaths show that deaths from COVID-19 have remained consistently low throughout the last months. Accordingly, the case-fatality rate of COVID-19 in Qatar has dropped to 0.14 from 0.24 throughout the last year. Still, it should be considered that due to limited testing and challenges in the attribution of the cause of death number of infected cases, the actual number of deaths, and the case-fatality rate may be higher than the confirmed numbers given above.
What are the rules implemented against the spread of COVID-19 in the Qatar World Cup?
Qatar had previously reported that fans attending the World Cup have to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test regardless of their vaccination status, either prior to their departure or at the border crossing. However, Qatar has eased all restrictions before the tournament stating that the number of COVID-19 cases is continuing to drop around the world and in Qatar. Qatar has also referred to the ongoing roll-out of the National COVID-19 Vaccination Program in the country to explain the removal of the COVID-19 restrictions in the Qatar World Cup. Accordingly, all visitors, players, and staff are also exempt from vaccination requirements in order to attend the 2022 Qatar World Cup. Although masking had been mandatory in public transport and certain public facilities, the masking measures have recently been eased in the country, and masks are now mandatory exclusively for people visiting healthcare facilities.
What are the current COVID-19 restrictions for traveling to Qatar?
Previous regulations required all visitors of six years and above to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test result from a PCR test taken in the last 48 hours, or from a rapid test taken within 24 hours upon on arrival in Doha, regardless of their vaccination status. It was also announced that all attendees aged 18 or above would be required to download the Ehteraz phone application, which tracks the movements and COVID-19 health status of the visitors to regulate their entrance to indoor public places.
With the recent regulations, all international COVID-19 rules and restrictions have been removed in anticipation of the FIFA World Cup 2022. Therefore, it is no longer required to obtain or present a COVID-19 vaccination certificate, and a negative result from a PCR or rapid antigen test.
Travelers are also not required to quarantine upon arrival in Qatar, regardless of their vaccination status, test status, and country of departure. Still, it remains mandatory for all travelers to obtain the digital Hayya Card and present it at the immigration borders before entering Qatar. The Hayya Card is a mandatory travel document for all international visitors which can be obtained by uploading a scan of passport information, flight schedule information, and current email address. However, considering the constant changes in the regulations of different countries, all visitors are encouraged to check the latest information on the government’s health website.
