Night time closure of businesses in Oman will continue until Saturday, April 3, the Supreme Committee to deal with COVID-19 has said.
In pursuance of efforts to protect individuals and society and to address the risks that might peak to death and, to ensure the health sector’s ability to perform its duty in handling Covid-19 cases and other cases that need medical attention, the Supreme Committee decided the following:
1 To impose a ban on all direct flights from the United Kingdom (UK), except cargo flights, and prohibiting entry of passengers arriving from the UK or who were in transit there over the past 14 days. The ban takes effect from 12 pm, Friday, 19 March, 2021 and continues till further notice. Omani citizens are exempt from the ban.
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2 To downsize to 70 percent of the number of employees at the workplace in units of the State’s Administrative Apparatus and other legal entities with effect from Sunday, 21 March, 2021 till Thursday, 1 April, 2021. The Supreme Committee urges all departments to continue to take precautionary and preventive measures to curb the spread of the disease and to follow up the commitment of all to the instructions.
3 To extend the closure of all commercial activities in all governorates of the Sultanate from 8 pm to 5 am till Saturday, 3 April, 2021. An exemption from this covers fuel filling stations, health establishments, private pharmacies, tire sale and repair outlets based at filling stations, transport, cargo and unloading services and the operation of factories without the option of receiving clients and customers, home deliveries, the handing over of food orders to customers in their vehicles from restaurants, cafes, mobile cafeterias and licensed street vendors, as well as offering “guests-only service” at restaurants located within hotel establishments.
4 To activate the role of volunteers in all wilayats of in coordination with the respective Walis.
5 To permit the use of beaches to practise ‘individual’ sports while at the same time maintaining a total ban on gatherings at beaches and elsewhere.
The Supreme Committee urges all to stick to precautionary measures endorsed by the departments concerned everywhere—within residences, workplaces and public places. In particular, the Supreme Committee laid emphasis on the prohibition of gatherings and assembling for whatever purpose and irrespective of their nature or whereabouts—be it familial or social gatherings or assembling in houses or in farms or anywhere.
The Committee also exhorts the public and private sectors to devise necessary mechanisms for the implementation of the above-mentioned instructions. The Committee warned that there will be no lenience with offenders who breach the instructions. The Committee reaffirmed that the authorities concerned will continue to monitor and ambush offenders and impose the prescribed penalties against them to help protect individuals and society.
Supreme Committee tasked with tackling developments resulting from coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic held a meeting yesterday under the chairmanship of Sayyid Hamoud Faisal Al Busaidi, Minister of Interior, to follow updates about COVID-19 and ways to curb its spread and deal with its different impacts.
The Committee listened to a briefing from the technical team about the epidemiological situation in the Sultanate and noted the steady rise in the number of COVID-19 infection and death cases in different governorates of the Sultanate.
It also studied the common causes of this serious surge, including familial and social gatherings.
The Committee noted the alarming surge in travel-related infections from some countries at a time the world is experiencing rapid propagation of the disease.
Concluding its statement, the Supreme Committee prayed to the Almighty Allah to protect all people against all harm.
SOURCE: TIMJESOFOMAN