In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Grantor of Mercy

All praise is due to Allah, and may His peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah. 

The majority of jurists allow the qunoot supplication to be performed for calamities, in order to repel harm and lift hardship. The Hanafis, Shafi’is and some Hanbalis said that the plague specifically, and pandemics generally, are among the calamities for which the qunoot supplication in prayers can be offered.

The supplication is said out loud, with the imam supplicating and those following in prayer saying ameen; the supplication is made after standing from bowing or before bowing (rukoo’), in the last raka’ah of the prayer. This is the same no matter which of the five prayers the qunoot is recited in. A second opinion is that this is done only in the fajr prayer. A third opinion is that this is only done in those prayers where recitation is done out loud. A fourth opinion is that this is done in other than the Friday prayer, since supplication is made during the sermon. All of these opinions are valid, and imams can choose the opinion which suits them.

That being said, the qunoot supplication is only allowed in obligatory prayers, not supererogatory ones. Furthermore, there is no single, particular version of the qunoot supplication that must be adhered to. The person supplicating can choose a comprehensive supplication that is easy for him and incorporates asking Allah for protection, good health, and seeking refuge in Allah from the plague, pandemics, and hardships regarding  oneself and one’s family, children, and wealth. The supplication should only be regarding that specific calamity. It should also be short and not long, in accordance with what has been legislated in terms of not overburdening those following in prayer. The Prophet (peace be upon him) used to like concise, comprehensive supplications, and he would avoid supplications that were other than that.

Allah knows best. And all success is found with Allah, the Exalted.