Just as Cinderella's enchantment vanishes at noon, Covid-19 is capable of taking everybody back to reality, even if they are in the loveliest dream, such as attending a FIFA World Cup. Unfortunately, nowadays not everything turns around which flight, hotel, and matches are the most enjoyable of Qatar 2022: it is also necessary to consider how to deal with the pandemic. Get to know Ehteraz, the local plan to control the virus.
From November 20 to December 18, the Middle East country expects to receive millions of fans who will attend Qatar 2022. Simply, in the last FIFA World Cup held in 2018, 3 million foreign soccer enthusiasts visited Russia, the host country, according to former Russian prime minister Dmitri Medvédev.
FIFA revealed that its official World Cup tickets first phase sale received 17 million requests from all around the globe. This data exposes the accuracy that the local government plan to prevent and contain Covid-19 spread during Qatar 2022 must-have.
Everything about Ehteraz: Qatar 2022 compulsory Covid-19 tracking app
Qatar's Ministry of Interior developed this mobile application as a strategy to control the Covid-19 spread. Ehteraz is an Arabic language word whose meaning is "precaution". Since May 20, 2020, every Qatari citizen has to download and use this app when leaving home, and entering any kind of establishment such as restaurants and shopping malls.
Then, every soccer fan to attend the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 will have to install Ehteraz on a mobile phone before leaving Doha Hamad International Airport; it works both with local and international SIM cards. According to official sources, the tracking app "is mandatory for all residents and visitors aged 18 years or above, and anyone 12 years and above if they are traveling/accessing locations without an adult."
Ehteraz Covid-19 tracking app installation requirements
Then, a local or an international SIM card is needed to install this app on smartphones with an Internet connection. The operating systems that support Ehteraz must be at least Android 6.0 or IOS 13.5 or later versions. To assure the right operation of the app, location and Bluetooth settings must be turned on permanently.
Also and before their displacement to the next FIFA World Cup land, Qatar 2022 foreign attendants will be required to register at www.etheraz.gov. Information such as the hotel to stay, the trip reason, a negative Covid-19 test, and a vaccination certificate must be provided to get the approval of the entering application.
How will Ehteraz use be helpful during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022?
The Qatari Covid-19 tracking app generates a QR code that shares the vaccination status, current virus-free state, risk of contagion, or infection status of the mobile owner, to assure a safe interaction between citizens and visitors. This by assigning a color to the QR code generated depending on the Covid-19 status of the phone owner:
-Red, infected
-Yellow, quarantine, or reactive
-Grey, suspected
-Green, negative
Ehteraz sends a notification if there was any contact or exposition to an infected, alleged infected, or confined person. This supports the quick identification of high infection rate areas to then take the necessary measures to contain the Covid-19 spread. Official announcements and Covid-19 statistics are also displayed in the app.
A quick guide to register on Etheraz, the Qatar 2022 Covid-19 tracking app
The first step is to download the app from the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store. Then it is necessary to open the app and click on the "Start" button. After accepting the privacy policy and granting the required permissions, it would be possible to be registered by providing a passport number (for foreigners), a mobile number, the passport expiration date, and nationality. Then, it is required to click on "Get Verification Pin" to receive an OTP (one-time-password) by SMS, to then enter it and finally complete the registration process.
