A fine not less than RO 300 will be imposed on anyone who tries to remove the COVID-19 tracking bracelet at home, according to the Ministry of Health (MoH).
As per the guidelines issued by the Supreme Committee, the band can only be removed by any of the MoH clinics or private medical centres authorised to do so, and any tampering with the band, which is the property of the ministry, is an offence and will alert the tracking centre.
“Any attempt to remove or to tamper with the COVID-19 tracking bracelet is an offence and the fine will be not less than RO 300 with or without other actions as prescribed in the guidelines,” a source at the ministry said. Additionally, any damage caused to the bracelet will attract
another fine of RO 200, and failure to abide by the law invites a fine of RO 100.
Any visitor to the Sultanate and anyone returning from abroad is supposed to follow COVID-19 protocol and refrain from wearing or causing
damage to the tracking bracelet is an offence.
He or she should also have an insurance policy covering COVID treatment for one month, besides registering with Tarassud app by paying RO 25 which includes the bracelet charges (RO 6). He should also be under self-quarantine for a minimum of seven days, and is free to approach any medical centre for COVID-19 test and removal of the band by the medical staff.
“The tracking band can only be removed by the PHCs (Primary Health Centres) or government hospitals or designated private health facilities on the eighth day of quarantine,” Head of Communicable Diseases (CDC), Muscat area, told the Observer.
“Any issue with the removal, be it tampering or any technical problems can be reported to the nearest health centres,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Primary Court in the South Al Batinah Governorate issued a verdict convicting a suspect who breached the decisions of the Supreme Committee.
The offender got the sentence for taking off the wristband tracker. The convict also failed to abide by home quarantine prescribed to him.
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