COVID-19 outbreak in Qatar – Everything you need to know

The story so far

On regular days, Qatar, the gas-rich Arab nation looks like a massive building site. Many hotels, sports stadiums, and world-class transport infrastructure with a metro system of 47 kilometers and thousands of newly built highways are under construction. The remainder is scheduled to complete these vast projects in time for the FIFA Football World Cup in 2022, to be hosted by Qatar.

Then the gloomy news arrived. The fearful COVID-19 pandemic has hit Qatar's coast. In the first few days, the rise in transmission was relatively slow. Then it almost exponentially continued to grow from one week to the next. The numbers have risen to five digits in less than two months since the first instance of COVID-19 was confirmed in early 2020. Cases have spread through the whole population of Qatar and authorities have swept into action to combat the spreading epidemic by locking the country and shutting its borders.

What is COVID-19, its origin?

On December 31st, 2019, China reported a cluster of pneumonia cases of uncertain cause in Wuhan City of China to the World Health Organization. The disease eventually expanded to more provinces there and to across the world. The virus has been identified and named SARS-CoV-2, and the condition is now known as COVID‐19. WHO declared it as a pandemic

How COVID-19 is transmitted, and how is it diagnosed?

The infection is spread predominantly by a human in contact with the goutlets of an infected person. When an infected is coughed, sneezed, or exhaled, gout containing the virus is released through droplets. It can land in the nose or mouth of another person and inhale into the lungs. An affected person who has no signs of the disease may be able to spread the virus. Therefore, staying at least two meters distance is recommended. If you touch a contaminated surface and then touch your lips, nose, or eyes, chances are there for you to contract the disease. As diagnostic testing for COVID-19, Real-time Reverse transcription-polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) tests are recommended.

What should one do if he or she thinks they have COVID-19? 

Fever, dry cough, and weakness are the most common symptoms of COVID-19. Other symptoms that are not so common include lack of taste or smell, fever, sore throat, red-eye, diarrhoea, or dry skin. Keep home and isolate yourself until you heal even with minor symptoms, such as cough, headache, mild fever. Call for advice from the primary care professional. Make somebody deliver supplies to you. Carry a medical mask to prevent infecting anyone if you have to leave your house or bring someone to visit you. You can get care immediately if you have a headache, cough, and trouble respiring. Call first, if you can, and follow the direction of health authorities. Stay updated with the latest information from healthcare authorities.

What are the precautions to be taken to prevent the spread of COVID- 19?

Masks will help to keep the infection from spreading to others. The masks alone are not sufficient and should be supplemented by hand-hygiene and physical distancing. Cover your mouth and nose with your bent elbow or tissue while coughing or sneezing. If you have a headache, cough, and trouble respiring, seek medical attention. Stay home and follow the state health agency's guidelines.

What kind of masks are right and who should wear them?

The infection is spread predominantly by a human in contact with the goutlets of an infected person. When an infected is coughed, sneezed, or exhaled, gout containing the virus is released through droplets. It can land in the nose or mouth of another person and inhale into the lungs. An affected person who has no signs of the disease may be able to spread the virus. Therefore, staying at least two meters distance is recommended. If you touch a contaminated surface and then touch your lips, nose, or eyes, chances are there for you to contract the disease. As diagnostic testing for COVID-19, Real-time Reverse transcription-polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) tests are recommended. In clinical settings, medical masks are recommended for health workers. Anyone who is feeling unwell, including people with mild symptoms, such as muscle aches, slight cough, sore throat or fatigue, etc. Anyone awaiting COVID-19 test results or who has tested positive should compulsorily wear a mask. People caring for someone who is a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19 outside of health facilities are another group of people to wear masks.

Medical masks are also recommended for people who are above 60 years and People of any age with underlying health conditions, including chronic respiratory disease, cardiovascular disease, cancer, obesity, immunocompromised patients, and diabetes because they are at a higher risk of becoming seriously ill with COVID-19 and dying. Non-medical, fabric masks could be used by younger people who do not have underlying health conditions.

Care and Cure pharmacy, produce and supply different types of Masks for varying uses.

Our Milkon three Layer mask gives protection against the COVID 19 by blocking the droplets and keeping away dust and germs in the air. It is made of cotton and breathable and also helps to protect you from bacteria and viruses.

N95 Masks is effective against Flu or Influenza, and if properly fitted, can provide excellent protection.

A ray of hope

Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic turned the whole of 2020 upside down. With lockdown, quarantine, social distancing, and more,

life became unrecognizable around the world. The new year brings some hope. Many countries are working on developing vaccines to get the virus under control. Some have already begun vaccinating people. The expectation is that the new year will be slightly more 'normal' than the previous one.

Qatar's Ministry of Public Health granted emergency use authorization for the Covid-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech.A ministry statement said people aged 16 years and above would be eligible. The country has also made arrangements with drugmaker Moderna Inc to buy its vaccine.

Football is like life, for an average Qataris. This illustrious tournament, the first World Cup ever to be held in the Arab world, is scheduled in Qatar from November 21st to December 18th, 2022.Let us hope COVID-19 will make way for a new dawn of expectations on the horizon of Qatar.