Qatar World Cup 2022: No infrastructure workers infected with coronavirus

The Supreme Committee of Delivery and Legacy (SC), responsible for managing the infrastructure projects of the Qatar World Cup 2022, has stressed that it is taking all necessary measures to guarantee the health and safety of the workers on World Cup sites, in line with the preventative guidelines announced by the Ministry of Health to prevent infection with the Covid-19 coronavirus. In an official statement the Committee said: “We are implementing preventative measures in the health centres at each construction site and in the workers’ quarters. These include courses to raise all SC workers’ awareness. Further, where there is a shortage of masks, workers are recommended to use their own scarves, and to consider sterilisation methods and use separate washers for scarves.”

The Committee said in the statement : “Unnecessary visits have been stopped on construction sites; there are dedicated rooms in the workers’ quarters and at each site; there is sterilisation equipment in the work site health centres and quarters; and all health workers meet the Ministry of Health’s preventative guidelines aimed at stopping the expansion of the new Covid-19 coronavirus. The Committee approved requests for temporary absence for workers over 55-years-old, along with people at risk from Covid-19, allowing them to remain in their quarters and paying their salaries. The Committee also highlighted that it is providing food for workers as recommended by the administration’s doctor in charge of looking after the workers, a measure applying to all the nutritionists at each of the construction sites for which the Committee is responsible.

On this basis, the Committee notes that it is evaluating all infection risks at all of its project sites, including both construction sites and worker’s quarters to determine those workers most at risk from Covid-19, and stop the spread of the virus, among workers and the general population. It is worth noting that Committee is caring out tests on workers where necessary, while all those suffering from respiratory problems are given medical tests by doctors at the workplace, advising only those likely to be infected, according to Ministry of Health regulations. Under the Ministry of Health’s guidelines the tests are only carried out by the Hammad Medical Organisation and at all hospitals accredited by the infectious diseases centre.

The SC highlighted that so far there has not been a case of coronavirus among the workers at the Qatar World Cup 2022 projects and confirmed that all necessary measures will be taken if there is a case of Covid-19, in line with Ministry of Health requirements. Any infection will be registered in the confidential “System One”, a system implemented by the SC in collaboration with the Fonex Company, which provides electronic medical records for the workers, the first and only one of its kind in Qatar.

"System One" allows access to the medical records of all workers at any place and time, with a range of other measures in place to help medical personnel take the correct medical decisions, such as registering likely Covid-19 infections in line with Ministry of Health guidelines. The SC is providing for quarantine areas in each workers’ quarters, where workers will receive necessary medical attention.

The SC confirmed that no worker would pay for costs of treatment where they become infected with Covid-19. The Hammad Medical Organisation will offer free healthcare in relation to Covid-19 on line with the welfare provisions for workers established by the SC. Workers can also travel to their country of birth for family emergencies, provided there are no travel restrictions in place, given the temporary closure of borders, with individuals being prevented from travelling due to the coronavirus situation, but restrictions notwithstanding the SC guarantees workers can return from their home countries when air traffic resumes.