Fans traveling to the World Cup in Qatar will be required to provide a negative COVID-19 check upon arrival as part of the host country’s regulations to combat COVID-19, organizers said Thursday.
All visitors over the age of 18 will also need to download a government-run phone app that tracks people’s movements and fitness, called Ehteraz.
“An Ehteraz (showing that the user has not shown any cases of COVID-19) is required to enter all enclosed public enclosed spaces,” World Cup organizers said.
Visitors must be able to show a negative result from a PCR test performed within 48 hours of arrival or an official immediate check performed within 24 hours. The COVID-19 control policy for visitors over the age of six is “regardless of the individual’s vaccination status,” the Supreme Committee on Delivery and Heritage said in a statement.
Vaccination required
Vaccination is mandatory for the 1. 2 million visitors expected for the tournament from November 20 to December 18.
Rapid antigen tests performed within 24 hours of landing in Qatar will only be accepted if they come from official medical centers and not self-administered. No additional testing is required in Qatar if enthusiasts develop COVID-19 symptoms.
The increase of all World Cup public health policies in place since September 4 for all travelers arriving in Qatar.
Mandatory mask
Masks will need to be worn on public transport, adding the metro formula that many enthusiasts will use in the 8 stadiums in and around Doha.
Qatar has recorded nearly 450,000 cases of COVID-19 and 682 deaths from the disease, according to data compiled since 2020 by Johns Hopkins University in the United States. Qatar has an estimated population of at least 2. 5 million, of whom only 350,000 are Qatari citizens.
More than 97% of Qatar’s population has gained at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, according to the data.
“Anyone testing for COVID-19 in Qatar will have to self-isolate according to the rules of the Ministry of Public Health,” World Cup organizers said.
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