Qatar has relaxed almost all restrictions now. You do need to show your Ethteraz app to enter places but mask-wearing is not enforced (many people still wear them but it's optional). Things have apparently become so mellow that the Qatar health authorities have moved to reporting cases and other information weekly instead of daily.
And . . . cases are going up. Not a surprise I suppose with the looser restrictions and that highly contagious Omicron variants spreading around. From around 150 community cases a day, it went to around 240 a day (the weekly report gives the daily average) and now its around 320 a day. That's a lot, and a bit worrisome. However there is no one in the ICU and no one has died. I think the last time someone in Qatar passed away from Covid was about three months ago. Hospitalizations are steady in the 25-35 range but it looks like most spend a couple of days in hospital before they are discharged.
Despite the increase in cases there is no word on any restrictions being put back in place, I suspect as long as the hospitalizations are steady, and there is not an uptick in severe cases, then the Government will leave things as they are. But if it starts getting to 500+ cases a day they might reconsider.
I'm still being careful, I certainly don't want to get Covid again. My last booster was at the end of December so the protection must be waning. Time to look at getting my booster dose before Eid in July.
