Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: RSW & HDS (Naples, Florida & Hoedspruit, South Africa); frequently flying via JNB, EWR, IAD, ORD
Programs: UA Platinum, Star Alliance Gold, Hilton Silver, AA
Posts: 396
They only asked us to put the face shields on when boarding and deplaning each QR flight. No one wore the face shields during the flights, only masks, and even then, not all the time. In the Q-suites we were told that we only needed to wear the masks when outside the suite e.g. using lavs. Flight attendants wore masks and goggles the entire flight.
Sorry but I don't know if any of the lounges in DOH were open other than Al Mourjan.
Re: citizenship: No, we are not citizens of RSA, but we have temporary residency visas as retired persons which are valid until 2023. In March when South Africa closed its borders to non-citizens it effectively "cancelled" existing long-term visas like ours, and just recently announced it would reinstate them and begin reopening borders effective October 1.