Extended lockdown and movement ban to start on Friday

MUSCAT: The Supreme Committee’s decision to impose the evening-time lockdown of commercial activities and ban on individual and vehicle movement from 5 pm to 4 am, will be enforced tomorrow (Friday July 16) with the exception of the first three days of Eid Al Adha which will see total lockdown.

The committee also decided not to hold Eid al Adha congregational prayers as well as the tradition habta markets. The ban also includes all forms of gatherings in all governorates of the Sultanate, including family gatherings, greeting groups and mass festivities.

The Royal Oman Police (ROP) stated that in order to ensure the availability of basic services and to ease the emergency movement of people, the police accident center will be operating during the period of total lockdown with the participation of some key sectors of the public institutions namely the sectors of health, municipal, tourism, transport sector communications and information technology, relief and sheltering sectors, agricultural, fisheries, water resources, commerce and industry.

The ROP stated that inquiries from citizens and residents will be handled through the center and that facilitations will be provided in accordance to the emergency cases facing individuals during the lockdown period, adding that the centre will be operating around the clock through the number 1099.

With the advent of the Khareef Season in Dhofar Governorate, the ROP affirms that entry to the governorate is restricted to citizens and residents who have taken at least one shot of the Covid-19 vaccine while visitors from outside the Sultanate should be fully vaccinated.

The ROP confirms its readiness to implement the necessary measures to ensure the safety of the community safety, through police presence in all governorates and wilayats of the Sultanate to enforce the decisions of the Supreme Committee, in addition to its role in keeping security and spreading peace.

The ROP has extended its thanks and appreciation to citizens and residents for their compliance with the decisions of the Supreme Committee tasked with tackling the developments resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic and their commitment to the precautionary measures which will contribute to the decline of the epidemic and the decrease in the number of cases.

ROP urged everyone to continue to adhere to the directives and decisions issued by the Supreme Committee, and to cooperate with the concerned authorities during the upcoming period in order to achieve the public interest and to maintain the safety and health of all. — ONA