Note: The following text is a public domain translation published by the Official OmanVsCovid19 Twitter account.
Statement of the Supreme Committee
The Supreme Committee followed up with deep concern the recent development of COVID-19 pandemic and its successive waves in many countries of the world, accompanied by the worrying emergence of new strains of the virus. And within the efforts to deter the sharp rise in number of infections caused by this dangerous contagion, the committee has examined the results of the epidemiological investigation on the factors stimulating the transmission of the pandemic, notably the non-compliance with precautions set out earlier by the competent authorities, particularly to avoid planning and holding social events, adhering to quarantine regulations and wearing face masks, and the failure of some institutions to comply with preventive measures. And based on the recommendation of the competent technical team, the Supreme Committee has decided the following:
– Continue to keep the Sultanate’s land borders closed until further notice, except o for truck traffic, and allowing citizens abroad to return in a ten-day time period from the time of publishing this statement until 12: 00 am on Sunday, February 21, 2021. All individuals will not be able to pass the land boarders again until they are reopened, and citizens who cross the land boarders back to the Sultanate are required to undergo institutional quarantine at their own expense, plus other procedures imposed on arrivals.
– Impose a mandatory institutional quarantine for all arrivals to the Sultanate o through land, sea and air borders at their own expense; as many have failed to adhere to the required preventive precautions.
– Close business activities in Ash’ Sharqiyah North Governorate from o 7: 00 pm to 6: 00 am effective Friday, 12 February 2021, for a fourteen-day period.
– Shut down beaches and public parks across the country, starting o from Thursday 11 February 2021 for two weeks long, and the emphasis on the need to stop all gatherings in rest houses, gardens, winter and desert camps. The committee also urges all to avoid family gatherings at homes or in other private places.
– Reduce customer waiting halls in government and private halls, o commercial centres, shops, markets, restaurants, cafés, shisha cafés and sport halls to operate only at 50% of their capacity, effective Friday morning 12 February 2021 until further notice.
– Allow owners of small and medium enterprises to defer payment of loans due in al Raffd Fund (Previously) for the beneficiaries from January 1st, 2021 until the end of June 2021 as an attempt to reduce the financial constraints and economic impacts of COVID-19 which have affected the growth of these enterprises. The Committee has also decided to provide facilitation to the beneficiaries of SANAD Programme and the Livelihood Resource Project (previously) to be announced by the competent authority later.
As many countries are tightening travel restrictions and measures, the Supreme Committee urges all citizens and residents to avoid travel in the coming period unless absolutely necessary, and recommends minimizing official missions and foreign participations.
The Supreme Committee stresses that it is in a systematic and constant follow-up to the developments of this pandemic locally and globally, and that other competent authorities shall continue to punish the violators of the decisions which are taken to protect the public, including the publication of the names and photos of violators in media, and to shut down any institution found operating contrary to the required requirements with their names and info announced in media.