Qatar- Applying COVID-19 bubble system will help contain virus: Official

(MENAFN - The Peninsula) Doha: The concept of applying a COVID-19 bubble system is when a group of people that frequently meets in limited numbers does not come into contact with members of other families or groups as much as possible, Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) said in a post on social media. 'If families and group of friends manage to maintain these bubbles, then we will be able to contain the virus, the post quoted Dr Abdullatif Al Khal, Chairman of the National Pandemic Preparedness Committee. Friends who meet frequently can also apply this system so that their number remains limited and fixed and they don't come into contact with other people. MoPH officials held a press conference yesterday and explained the need to be more vigilant with precautionary measures against Covid-19 as new variants from UK and South Africa were reported in Qatar. READ ALSO: Covid-19 cases likely to increase over next 10 to 14 days The officials further cautioned that the new strain from the UK is creating more complications and more people are getting hospitalized and the number of patients in ICU has seen significant increase. In just the past two weeks we have seen an 82% increase in people in ICUS with COVID-19 READ ALSO: Patients staying longer in hospital due to new Covid-19 variant The rise in Covid-19 cases has prompted the authorities to implement more restrictions like stopping of gyms, not allowing kids under 12 into malls, reducing capacity in cinemas, museums, indoor restaurants, prevent social gatherings and no more than 5 people in open places and also continuing with most of the other measures already in force. READ ALSO: Reduced gatherings, gyms closed, more precautions from Friday  MENAFN25032021000063011010ID1101809108