Qatar has introduced strict guidelines regarding Covid measures at this year’s World Cup in order to avoid any mishaps during the tournament, the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy has announced.
As part of the measures, the visitors attending the World Cup must provide proof of a negative Covid test regardless of their vaccination status.
All visitors aged six and over must present a negative result from a PCR test taken within 48 hours before their departure or from a rapid antigen test taken 24 hours before arriving. These tests cannot be self-administered and will only be accepted if they are from authorised medical centres.
Along with all these measures fans will be required to wear masks while using public transport although vaccination is not mandatory for the 1.2 million visitors who are expected to reach the tiny Asian nation for the tournament.
Qatari government will also monitor the visitors through an app called “Ehteraz” which all people above the age of 18 are required to download.
“A green Ehteraz status (showing the user does not have a confirmed case of COVID-19) is required to enter any public closed indoor spaces,” the statement added.
“Anyone who tests positive for COVID-19 while in Qatar will be required to isolate in accordance with Ministry of Public Health guidelines,” the statement said.
Qatar has recorded more than 440,000 confirmed cases of Covid and 692 deaths from the virus since the pandemic began, a number which may increase with the influx of visitors for the World Cup.
The country is already embroiled in controversy over its human rights record before the start of the tournament and a health crisis may lead to an unwanted outcry from the rest of the world.
