File photo used for representation only. Photo credit: Abdul Basit/ The Peninsula
The Ministry of Interior (MoI) has enjoined citizens and residents to follow the instructions and precautionary measures set by the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) to prevent the spread of the COVID-19, especially during the celebration of National Sport Day, today.
“Since the outbreak of the pandemic, the Ministry of Interior has been keen to take immediate measures to limit the spread of the pandemic. Among these measures are establishing a committee called ‘Ehteraz Committee’ concerned with the application of precautionary measures in the country,” said Major Masoud Al Qahtani, Head of the Ehteraz Committee at the National Command Center NCC.
Maj. Al Qahtani, who spoke to Qatar Radio yesterday, added that the committee includes several officers from different departments and is in contact with other ministries in the country.
There are also representatives from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the Ministry of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Affairs (MADLSA), and the Ministry of Municipality and Environment.
Regarding the procedures when violators of precautionary measures are caught, Maj. Al Qahtani said: “In all public places, there are mobile patrols represented by Al Fazaa Police and General Directorate of Traffic. There are also foot patrols carried out by Preventive Security Department in commercial complexes and tourist places.
“In the event that violators of these precautionary measures are caught, a violation report is prepared at the same time and referred to the security department in the area where the violator was arrested. The case is then referred to the Public Prosecution.”
As for the quarantine offenders, he noted they are immediately held and isolated before being referred to the Public Prosecution for violating home quarantine.
The Ministry said earlier that Police patrols have intensified on roads and neighbourhoods to apprehend those violating precautionary measures. So far over 15,000 violators of the precautionary measures have been arrested since the Ministry started its crackdown months ago, and nearly 10,000 in the past three months alone.
The MoI noted that people need to notify the authorities of the date and place of any potential wedding ceremony or gathering and must pledge to abide by the procedures and precautionary measures according to the mechanism determined by the Ministry.
