Muscat: The Supreme Committee tasked with tackling developments resulting from coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic held a meeting on Monday under the chairmanship of Sayyid Hamoud Faisal al Busaidi, Minister of Interior, to discuss updates on the pandemic, protection procedures and measures to curb the spread of the virus and deal with its different impacts.
On the approaching advent of the holy month of Ramadan, the Supreme Committee sent heartfelt greetings to His Majesty Sultan Haitham Bin Tarik and expressed its best wishes to Omani people and the Arab and Islamic nations. It prayed to the Almighty Allah to bestow plentiful health, bounty and blessings on Oman and the whole world.
During the meeting, the Supreme Committee noted the widespread prevalence of the pandemic in different governorates of the Sultanate and the outcome of daily statistical reports during the current period, indicating that the health sector is undergoing heavy pressure from the sharp rise in number of infections and cases of patients admitted to hospital wards and intensive care units (ICUs).
To limit the scope of gatherings, which proved to be a basic factor in the spread and intensity of the pandemic, the Supreme Committee took the following decisions.
1. Extending the decision on closure of all commercial activities while at the same time allowing the movement of people and vehicles in all governorates of the Sultanate between 8 pm and 5 am from Thursday, Shaaban 25, 1442 AH, April 8, 2021, till the morning of the first day of Ramadan.
2. Imposing a nighttime ban on all commercial activities and prohibiting the movement of people and vehicles between 9 pm and 4 am throughout the holy month of Ramadan.
3. Prohibiting the performance of Taraweeh congregational prayers in mosques.
4. Imposing a total ban on all types of gatherings, like Iftar-Sa’im, in mosques, tents or public assembling places.
5. Imposing a ban on all social, sports and cultural activities and any other group activities throughout the holy month of Ramadan.
6. Restricting entry to the Sultanate only to Omani citizens and residency holders with effect from 12 noon on Thursday, Shaaban 25, 1442 AH, April 8, 2021.
The Covid-19 Supreme Committee advises all citizens and residents to avoid travelling abroad during the coming period, except under extreme necessity, bearing in mind that many countries are likely to restrict movement and travel. The Supreme Committee recommends limiting travel for official missions abroad or for participation in external events.
The Supreme Committee will assess and revise these decisions in accordance with developments in the general situation of the pandemic in the Sultanate during the holy month of Ramadan.
In pursuance of the Supreme Committee’s efforts to protect society from this pandemic and the risks it entails and, to stem the spread of the virus in the workplace, the Supreme Committee urges private sector companies and establishments to implement plans that guarantee the accomplishment of tasks through online work and to downsize the number of employees needed to attend at the workplace, taking the example of units of the State’s Administrative Apparatus in this respect.
The Supreme Committee would like to stress that all the procedures undertaken so far have been made, in the first place, to protect society and alleviate Covid-19 patients’ health impacts that might lead to death. The Supreme Committee hereby reaffirms that the above-mentioned procedures will not achieve the desired success unless all—individuals and establishments—abide by the instructions. Full compliance, the Committee said, will diminish, in medium term and long term, the negative impacts of the pandemic on public health and commercial activities.
At the conclusion of its statement, the Supreme Committee prayed to the Almighty Allah to protect everyone against all harm. --ONA
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