The extended lockdown announced by the Supreme Committee tasked with following up the events developing from the pandemic last week will be implemented from Friday, from 5 pm till 4 am (earlier 8 pm to 4 am) till July 31.
All commercial activities and movement of people and vehicles will not be allowed during these times, the Supreme Committee announced.
The 3-day complete lockdown during first three days of Eid al Adha has been imposed with the aim of reducing people’s gathering to check the virus spread.
The Governorate of Musandam has been excluded from the closure decision as only a few cases were reported from the peninsula and people who have taken their first or both doses of vaccination can move to and from Dhofar Governorate.
From July 9, anyone from outside the country who wish to visit Dhofar was allowed after producing a proof of having taken the Covid vaccine.
These decisions are expected to give safety to the people and boost business, according to experts.
The Supreme Committee had also decided to exclude Egypt from the list of countries the arrivals from which had been prohibited and renewed on June 5.
The other countries from where the entry ban imposed by the SC and the Civil Aviation Authority will prevail until further notice are Sudan, Brazil, Nigeria, Tanzania, Siera Leone, Ethiopia, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Philippines. In addition to the arrivals from Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam and arrivals from any other country if they have passed through any of the aforementioned countries during the previous 14 days preceding their request to enter the Sultanate.
However, Omani citizens, diplomats, health staff, and their families are exempt from the ban and will be subject to entry procedures adopted by the Sultanate and precautionary measures that include self- isolation, wearing masks and gloves, taking vaccination and the like.
DIRECTIVE TO AIR PASSENGERS
Oman Airports has announced that all passengers departing and entering through the airports during the lockdown period are allowed to travel (only one escort is allowed with the presentation of a travel document), taking with regard to Covid-19 travel requirements and procedures and medical tests required for your destination.
Passengers should provide their necessary travelling documents.
Non-travellers should call for approval from Royal Oman police at the following number 1099.
904 NEW CASES, 14 DEATHS
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health on Thursday reported 904 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 and 14 deaths over the past 24 hours.
The total number of cases registered in the Sultanate has now reached 289,042, including 3,498 deaths.
In all, 128 patients were admitted to hospitals across the country in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of inpatients to 1,215 including 444 in intensive care units.
The total number of recoveries is 263,752 while the recovery rate is 91.3 per cent.
VACCINATION DRIVE
The ministry pointed out that it will resume the National Strategy for Immunisation against Covid-19 after the holiday of Eid al Adha on Sunday, July 25. It also extends its thanks to the target segments for their great turnout to get the vaccine, which reflects their social awareness on the importance of vaccinating against Covid-19.
The immunisation centres in all the governorates of the Sultanate on Thursday saw a great turnout of people targeted for the vaccine.
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