Qatar Weekly News Review Fri 31st Dec

FESCH.TV INFORMIERT:

Here’s a recap of Qatar’s big news stories for the week up to Friday 31st December. Brought to you in conjunction with Marhaba, the ultimate guide to Qatar.

Starting with last Sunday when the headlines included Qatar seeing a spike in COVID-19 cases for the second day in a row, and holiday plans in disarray as Omicron surge grounds flights. On Saturday it was reported that there were 279 new COVID-19 cases here in Qatar. 226 among the community and 53 among travellers. While more than 2,300 commercial flights were cancelled, around 800 of them in the USA according to the FlightAware tracking website.

On Monday the Ministry of Public Health said vaccines save lives and protect from severe COVID illness. Say yes to booster, and no to unfounded rumours the ministry stated. And omicron forces cancellation of thousands more flights. Some 7,500 flights have been grounded worldwide and tens of thousands more delayed between Friday and Sunday, one of the busiest travel periods of the year. With multiple airlines acknowledging that the rising cases of omicron have prompted staffing shortages.

On Tuesday there was the news that an African national has been held for smuggling female domestic workers. He had housed 15 home workers at a place rented in the Al Salata area for that purpose. A statement said that the suspect had confessed during questioning, giving all the details of the workers and how he housed them and allowed them to work through special home service offers.

Wednesday and the headline news is that COVID-19 vaccine immunity lasts for only nine months after the second dose. People whose second dose was more than nine months ago will lose their Gold Frame status on their Eteraz App. And the Ministry of Public Health are to open a vaccination centre for the business and industry sector in Bu Garn. The facility which is scheduled to open on January the 9th will administer COVID-19 vaccines to key business and industry workers. The centre will have capacity to administer up to 30,000 vaccine doses per day. The Bu Garn vaccination centre will operate on an appointment only based system with no walk-in appointments given.

Onto yesterday and masks a must in public places is without doubt the major headline. To ensure the health and safety of the population and reduce the spread of COVID-19, the wearing of masks will be mandatory in all closed and open public settings from Friday the 31st of December that’s today. The only exceptions are for children under the age of six years old and people performing sports and exercise in open spaces.

Now for this morning’s news and COVID-19 PCR tests are available at all 28 public health centres free of charge. The Ministry of Public Health said in a tweet that people with signs and symptoms of COVID-19 are advised to go directly to any PHCC Health Centres for testing free of charge and avoid contact with other people until the test results are confirmed.

Now 50% of Hamad Medical Corporation’s outpatient appointments are to be via telemedicine consultations.

And finally, more rain is forecast across Qatar until the middle of next week.

Holiday Inn
Welcome to the Holiday Inn the Business Park Doha. Holiday Inn is a brand I have known and trusted all of my life with their first hotel opening in August 1952 on the main highway to Nashville Tennessee USA. As of September 2018, they had 1,173 active hotels making them one of the largest hotel chains in the world with over 214,000 rentable rooms. And 307 of those are right here in Doha in the Holiday Inn the Business Park.

The rooms are bright and modern, with everything you need for a nice comfortable stay. Including a cosy bed, and a spacious bathroom with a refreshing walk-in shower.

One of the best places to spend free time in Qatar is by the side of the pool. Or of course in the pool is even better, and the Holiday Inn has a gorgeous pool for you to enjoy either way.

And for those of you that like staying in good shape, there’s a fully equipped gym that won’t disappoint either.

Now on to one of my favourite features of the Holiday Inn…. Stock Burger! I have never been to Stock Burger until today, and let me tell you now, I will be back. I loved it here. They served me one of the best burgers I have ever had. And it’s bar as well. Even if you’re not staying in the Holiday Inn, I strongly recommend you pay Stock Burger a visit. Tell them Brian sent you.

The Holiday Inn the Business Park Doha, it’s everything you’d expect, and so much more.