Qatar has taken all necessary measures against COVID-19: Health official

Tribune News NetworkDohaQatar is one of the few countries that have taken all pre-emptive measures and precautions against the coronavirus (COVID-19) to protect the health and safety of society, a top Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) official has said.“The work is under way to prepare many field facilities in different regions of the country with the aim of providing medical and nursing services for mild to moderate cases infected with coronavirus,” Sheikh Dr Mohammed bin Hamad al Thani, Director of the Public Health Department at the Ministry of Public Health, said.He said majority of people must be prepared for the home quarantine if they are asked to do so in the future, given that it will be the appropriate way to do so in the coming months.“Everyone should get used to it and take the correct information on how to quarantine themselves at the specialised sites provided by the Ministry of Public Health as well as the hotline number 16000,” he added.On the lack of commitment from some of those in home quarantine, he said about 95 percent of who underwent home quarantine followed the instructions issued by the Ministry of Public Health and the Hamad Medical Corporation. “Only 5 percent of them did not comply with the pledge they undertook and were booked by the competent authorities,” he said, adding that the offenders will be subjected to further legal action.“The Ministry of Public Health has a plan to deal with all new cases and every day new beds are being added. For example, for the labour category, a huge place has been identified that contains a large number of beds. It must be emphasized that the majority of labourers who tested positive are of young men and they are in good health, which helps them recover quickly,” he noted.The official said no medicine has yet been produced to treat COVID-29. Companies and medical laboratories around the world are still carrying out experiments in this regard, but there are other drugs that are currently being used in Qatar to treat the patient with the virus, he added.“There are some cases currently in the intensive care and the medical team is following their case,” he said.However, there were cases in intensive care and their condition improved and they got out of the intensive care and are in the recovery phase, he said.“More than 99 percent of workers who have contracted the virus have no symptoms, and we have put them under health isolation to prevent the spread of the infection,” he said.The MoPH has a crisis cell that works around the clock, and the government supports all measures that protect the health of the citizen and the resident, he said.“Our procedures are organized as per the highest levels of medical quality. We have succeeded until today in achieving 51 recoveries and within a week the number will reach one hundred. We are optimistic about the future,” he added.On the benefits of wearing a medical mask, he said it does not provide protection as it does not cover the eyes. For example, he said, a person can wear the mask and touch his hand with an infected surface and then touch his eyes. “The principle is to be careful when going out. It’s important not to touch the face including the eyes, mouth, and nose and to use sterilisers continuously. Washing hands for not less than twenty seconds with soap and water when returning to the home. Step out of the house if it is absolutely necessary,” he said Al Watan newspaper in an interview.