Muscat: It is five years since the Sultanate of Oman implemented decisions to limit the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic as part of a worldwide outbreak.
The schools were fully suspended from the second of March, which in the coming months and year ushered in a new revolution in education - the remote or online schools. The pandemic also affected the travel and tourism sector due to worldwide restrictions on entry and exit, apart from the implementation of various health safety protocols such as quarantine.
The virus was confirmed to have reached Oman on February 20, 2020, when two citizens tested positive for COVID-19 after returning from Iran.
March 2020: To prevent community infections, the country placed 2,367 people under quarantine. Most of the people were under domestic quarantine while 49 were in institutional quarantine.
On March 16, the Royal Hospital in the capital stopped treatment services provided for routine non-emergency cases until further notice.
In early March, the Ministry of Health directed all retail outlets, including shopping malls and supermarkets, to install sanitizers as a preventive measure against the spread of coronavirus. His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik formed a Supreme Committee tasked with dealing with and responding to the developments resulting from the outbreak. On 12 March, the committee decided that tourist visas would not be issued to citizens of all countries and also stopped entry and docking of cruise ships in the ports. Furthermore, all sports events were canceled.
On March 14, the Supreme Committee decided to suspend all classes in schools, universities, and other educational institutions from 15 March for 30 days.
This decision was revised in early April by the Supreme Committee and a decision was taken for the suspension to remain until further notice. It also pronounced new restrictions which included stopping the entry of foreigners apart from GCC citizens and foreign residents via all land and sea borders, quarantining all arrivals, and the closures of public parks and gardens. It was also declared that Friday prayers are to be stopped and social gatherings like weddings are banned.
The decisions went into effect on March 17.
His Majesty the Sultan donated RO10 million to tackle the coronavirus outbreak in the country on March 26. The National Youth Committee of the country called on volunteers to aid in the relief and sheltering measures to combat coronavirus (COVID-19) on the same day.
Also on the day, the Ministry of Tourism stated that over 40 hotels across the sultanate had provided around 2,816 hotel rooms to be used as COVID-19 relief and shelters under the supervision of the Ministry of Health. They were to be mainly used as institutional quarantine centers for Omanis arriving from abroad. To prevent community infection, the hotels were divided into three categories, some for asymptomatic individuals, others for suspected cases while a number were dedicated for medical treatment of infected cases.
The total number of cases surged to over 100 on March 26. The government announced the same day that any individuals on a residency permit, visit, business or any short term visas need not worry about expiry-related issues. Due to the pandemic, they would not be subject to any fines or legal actions regarding overstaying in the country.
March 28, 255 Omanis comprising students, tourists, and business people were airlifted from Jordan in two special planes to return home.
On April 1, the first death due to coronavirus was recorded in the country. The patient was a 72-year-old Omani citizen in Muscat, and the number of confirmed cases in the country crossed over 200.
Also on the day, Al Nahda Hospital in the capital, Muscat announced the suspension of all outpatient appointments and surgical appointments until further notice.
The wilayat of Muttrah was isolated from other parts of Muscat on the same day due to a sharp increase in the number of cases.
The Sultan's Armed Forces (SAF) and Royal Oman Police (ROP) started to enforce joint checkpoints on the roads linking the entrances and exits of the sultanate's governorates on the same day.
Muttrah became the worst affected wilayat of the governorate and the country as it held 45% of the total confirmed cases of the country mostly due to local transmissions, and hence was isolated on April 1, 2020.
The Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) decided to implement e-learning on April 2. The same day, the Consumer Authority launched an initiative called 'Sallat al Khair', aimed at helping families whose lives have been affected by the measures to combat COVID-19. Under the initiative, 19 different commodities to meet the basic weekly consumer needs were provided in one basket for RO9.
The youngest patient in the country, a one-and-half-year-old baby boy recovered and was discharged from the hospital on April 7.
On April 8, the total number of confirmed cases crossed 400.
As the majority of them were in the capital city of Muscat, the Supreme Committee decided to put it under lockdown from April 10 to April 22.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported the same day that around 3,000 Omani citizens had returned from various countries.
By the end of the 'return campaign' implemented as per directives of the Supreme Committee, a total of 3,746 willing Omanis were brought back from different countries. This marked the end of the campaign as the remaining Omanis abroad had preferred to stay in their respective host countries.
On April 9, the Minister of Health announced that as per directives issued by Sultan Haitham, COVID-19 tests and treatment were made free for all communities of the sultanate, including expatriates.
It was also declared that no legal action would be taken for individuals whose visas or resident permits had expired.
Mass testing was also started on April 11.
The Ministry of Health reported on April 14 that it had performed a procedure of convalescent plasma extraction and transfusion from people who had recovered from COVID-19 as a treatment option for the critically ill.
The total number of confirmed cases surged over 1,000 to 1,019 when 109 new cases were reported on April 16.
86 new cases were confirmed on April 19 and With this, the number of cases in Muscat crossed 1,000 and the total cases around the sultanate stood at 1,266.
The Sultan's Armed Forces, with the help of the Royal Navy of Oman (RNO), operated a number of navy ships to the Musandam Governorate for shipping fuel tankers as well as essential commodities and staple foods for the citizens and residents on April 19.
The Supreme Committee extended the lockdown of Muscat governorate until May 8, while also declaring a nationwide ban on all social, sporting, and cultural gatherings and activities during the month of Ramadhan.
On May 4, the Wadi Kabir Industrial Area in the governorate of Muscat was closed down until further notice.
On May 5, the supreme committee extended the ongoing lockdown in Muscat from its scheduled end on May 8 to 29. A decision to end the 2019–2020 school year was also issued, so that May 7, 2020 would be the last day of the school year.
The Ministry of Health also confirmed on that day that some of the cases in the country had occurred from home deliveries.
The first death outside the Muscat governorate was reported on May 5, in the North Batinah governorate. The total confirmed cases in the Muscat governorate surpassed over 2,000 on May 6.
A press conference held by the supreme committee outlined various punishments and fines for violators of guidelines which had been issued so far, including imprisonment for all violators for 48 hours. The Minister of Health stated that the fatality rate was higher in the expatriate community as they reached hospitals later.
The total number of cases surpassed over 10,000 on May 30. Lockdown in Muscat was lifted on May 29 but the wilayat of Muttrah remained isolated with various checkpoints in place per decisions taken by the supreme committee.
Oman recorded more than 1,000 new cases in a single day since the beginning of the outbreak on May 31.
The sanitary isolation in the wilayat of Muttrah was lifted in most of its parts on June 6.
The supreme committee allowed many commercial activities and services to reopen on June 10.
Restrictions in 2021
In March 2021, Oman imposed a curfew from March 28 until April 8 from 8pm to 5am and an evening ban on all commercial activities.
In April 2021, during the holy month of Ramadan, all gatherings were prohibited from 9 pm until 4 am due to a night-time ban.
Oman reopened its airports on October 1, 2021, with mandatory testing and quarantine restrictions for incoming travelers in place.
Oman announced that it will begin rolling out its coronavirus vaccination campaign on Sunday, December 27.
During the global Covid 19 pandemic, the Government of India undertook the Vande Bharat Mission to repatriate Indian nationals and also to facilitate travel of passengers between India and various parts of the world, including Oman.
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