Friday, March 29, 2024 | Ramadan 18, 1445 H
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EDITOR IN CHIEF- ABDULLAH BIN SALIM AL SHUEILI

Children, Sr citizens exempted from institutional quarantine

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Children below the age of 16 years and senior citizens (above 60), are exempted from institutional quarantine, which has become a mandatory practice for all inbound travellers from February 15.


The announcement came on Tuesday following the decisions taken by the Supreme Committee on Covid-19.


The Civil Aviation Authority, in coordination with the Medical Response and Public Health Sector, the Relief and Shelter Sector, announced that sick passengers who obtain an exemption based on their medical circumstances in writing from the health authorities can be exempted from institutional quarantine. All airlines operating to and from Oman have been informed of this.


The announcement came as a big relief for the families arriving from other countries, as they were worried about the procedures of the institutional quarantine.


Parvathy, an expatriate mother of two children welcomed the decision as a great relief.


“It is a great decision indeed. However, if both the parents are in quarantine then I wonder where the children should go. Families travel together and it is difficult to send children to relatives or friends’ houses’’, she added.


Riyaz Ambalath, an expatriate living in Muscat who is currently on vacation was a bit puzzled by the cost that his four-member family would have to pay in terms of institutional quarantine.


“My concern is that I have a six-year-old son and a daughter less than two years. This decision is great news as my family is arriving next week. However, if the mother too can be spared from the institutional quarantine, that would have been a relief for these kids as their food and general care would have been taken care of.”


Additionally, diplomats working at foreign diplomatic missions accredited to the Sultanate, diplomats visiting the Sultanate and their families, airline crew, subject to the precautionary measures issued by the Ministry of Health, have been exempted from presenting pre-confirmed hotel reservations before they check-in at the airport of departure.


“However, all other requirements as stipulated in previous circulars remain valid’’, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) informed.


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