Note: The following text is a public domain translation published by the Official OmanVsCovid19 Twitter account.
Statement of the Supreme Committee
Within its continuous sessions held to evaluate the developments of COVID-19 in the Sultanate, the Supreme Committee has reviewed the epidemiological situation of the pandemic at the international level, in which many countries are witnessing a sharp rise in the number of cases and deaths, some due to presence of rapidly spreading mutations. The analysis of local epidemiological situation has showed an increase of inpatients admitted to hospitals all over the Sultanate, exceeding the severity index, and has negatively impacted the national level, which has also exceeded a level of dangerousness. The current data reveals an alarming rise of travel-associated cases, with the spread of the pandemic in countries of departure, and the lack of data on its new strains in other countries.
The data suggest that cases of the new mutated strains, including the South African, have been detected in laboratory diagnostics, which is an indication of outbreaks in different locations in the Sultanate.
Hence, in an effort to protect the community, especially from the new contagious strains, the Committee has decided to:
– Close all business activities in the Sultanate, from 8 PM to 5 AM, effective Thursday evening March 4th, 2021 until Saturday morning March 20th 2021, and that includes restaurants and cafés within tourist facilities and home delivery services. Petrol stations, private health institutions and pharmacies are excluded.
– Students of public schools continue to receive their education online by means of distance learning, from Sunday, March 7th, 2021 until Thursday, March 11th 2021, provided to evaluate this in accordance with the developments of epidemiological situation in the Sultanate during this period. The Committee stresses to all the seriousness of this stage as the disease is spreading locally and globally, and calls on everyone to practice maximum care and caution to protect their families, the elderly, and people with chronic diseases, and to avoid gatherings that have been proven to worsen the condition.