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COVID-19 Supreme Committee

COVID-19 Supreme Committee Decision of 9 June 2020

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Statement of the Supreme Committee

The Supreme Committee for dealing with Covid-19 decides the following:

– Introducing lockdown to regions of al Jabal al Akhdar, Jabal Shams, Wilayat Masirah, and Dhofar Governorate, and preventing tourist gatherings or activities there, as of Saturday, June 13th, 2020 at 12:00 pm until the end Friday, July 3rd, 2020. The situation will be evaluated according to the epidemiological data for each region separately.

– Reopening a new package of commercial and industrial businesses, starting June 10, 2020. The competent authorities will announce the necessary details and requirements to practice them.

The Committee underscores once again the importance of complying with the precautionary measures set by the competent authorities to avoid further spread of the pandemic.

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COVID-19 Supreme Committee

COVID-19 Supreme Committee Decision of 2 June 2020

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COVID-19 Supreme Committee

COVID-19 Supreme Committee Decision of 27 May 2020

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Note: The following text is a public domain translation published by the Official OmanVsCovid19 Twitter account.

Statement of the Supreme Committee

The Supreme Committee for Dealing with Covid-19 Decides:

– Lifting lockdown across Muscat Governorate as of Friday, 6th of Shawwal 1441 AH, corresponding to May 29th 2020.

– Inactivating the decision to exempt employees from attendance in Government bodies and the need for the return of at least 50% of employees in each unit, while some employees will maintain their annual leave entitlement. The head of each unit may take the appropriate decisions to ensure a regular performance and functioning of government institution, simultaneously, taking the necessary precautions to halt further spreading of the pandemic. Employees shall return to work on Sunday 8th of Shawwal 1441 AH, corresponding to May 31, 2020 AD.

May Allah Almighty Save Everyone from All Bad

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COVID-19 Supreme Committee

COVID-19 Supreme Committee Decision of 18 May 2020

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Note: The following text is a public domain translation published by the Official OmanVsCovid19 Twitter account.

Statement of the Supreme Committee

The Supreme Committee for Dealing with Covid-19 decides:

– Banning all gatherings related to Eid, such as Eid livestock auctions, Eid prayers, Eid greetings’ gatherings and Eid group celebrations because such gatherings can spread the pandemic in the community.

– Authorizing the Royal Oman Police to monitor the compliance of individuals and public and private institutions with the decisions issued by the Supreme Committee, and authorizing them to directly impose the financial fines and remand detention to violators of these decisions.

– Resuming a new group of commercial and industrial activities which shall adhere to the necessary preventive measures. The competent authorities will announce the details of those activities.

– Requiring everyone to wear face masks in public places, including all permitted commercial and industrial activities, workplaces in the public and private sectors and public transportation.

May Allah Almighty protect every one of us.

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COVID-19 Supreme Committee

COVID-19 Supreme Committee Decision of 5 May 2020

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Statement of the Supreme Committee

The Supreme Committee for Dealing with Covid-19 decides:

– Extending the lockdown of Muscat Governorate until 10:00 PM, Friday, May 29, 2020.

– Ending the academic year in all government and private schools; the last day of the academic year is Thursday, May 7, 2020. The Ministry of Education shall decide on the appropriate alternatives to calculate the results of students and the mechanism for their return and transfer in the 1-12 grades and their equivalence.

– The Committee calls upon everyone to follow the preventive measures of curbing the spread of the pandemic, foremost of which is adhering to social distancing and avoiding all gatherings.

May Allah Almighty protect every one of us  

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COVID-19 Supreme Committee

COVID-19 Supreme Committee Decision of 28 April 2020

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The Supreme Committee for Dealing with Covid-19 decided to resume some commercial activities, with effect from Today, Tuesday April 28, 2020, including:

– Vehicles repair workshops

– Fishing boats repair workshops

– Vehicles spare parts shops Fishing spare parts shops

– Selling and repairing of electronic and electrical appliances and computers shops, repairing of electrical appliances shops and satellites receivers shops

– Vehicles rental offices

– Equipment and machinery rental offices

– Specialized stores of stationery

– Printing Shops

– Sanad offices

– Quarries and Crushers

– The above-mentioned activities shall not allow customers to enter the shops; the service shall be limited to receipt and delivery

– The Committee also decided to reopen:

Oil change, brake repair and tire sale and repair of vehicles

A maximum of two customers shall be allowed to be at the Shop at the same time.

– The Committee also decided to allow Money Exchange Companies to resume their services The aforementioned economic activities shall comply with all health requirements specified by the concerned authorities.

May Allah protect everyone of us

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COVID-19 Supreme Committee

COVID-19 Supreme Committee Decision of 20 April 2020

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Statement of the Supreme Committee

The Committee expresses its utmost congratulations to His- Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tariq, may Allah protect him, on the occasion of the Holy Month of Ramadan, and to the Omani people, Arabs and Islamic nations.

– The Committee stresses the importance of avoiding all gatherings during the Holy Month of Ramadan.

– The Committee affirms that the closure of mosques, including for (Tarawih prayer, shall continue, except for the call of prayer Adhan).

– Ramadan gatherings, such as Iftar in mosques, tentes or public majlises, and social, sports, cultural and other group activities are strictly prohibited.

– Extending the lockdown of Muscat Governorate through the Control and Checkpoints until 10 AM Friday, May 8, 2020.

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COVID-19 Supreme Committee

COVID-19 Supreme Committee Decision of 15 April 2020

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Statement of the Supreme Committee

A package of facilitations to support the private sector and its workforce

The Supreme Committee for Dealing with COVID-19 has approved, within the framework of its permanent meeting, a package of facilitations to support the private sector and its workforce. This package has been reached to through an agreement between the competent government agencies and the private sector, through representatives of the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Accordingly, the private sector institutions and companies are obligated to maintain the continued work of the Omani employees and not to terminate their services. It also provides a number of facilitations that support the sustainability of the work of the companies and institutions of the private sector and enhance their ability to adapt to the current exceptional conditions resulting from the spread of the Coronavirus (Covid-19) locally and globally.

According to the package, those institutions and companies must re-format the work system, use modern technology and work remotely to limit the pool of the workforce, and ensure that adequate spaces are provided between employees in the workplace and the workforce housing. That is to protect the health and safety of the employees. Furhtermore, employees in the private sector are entitled a full salary leave during the period of institutional and domestic quarantine, provided that the termination of the quarantine period is proved by a certificate issued by the competent authority.

Obligations of the private sector companies and institutions towards the Omani employees:

1. Not to lay off Omani employees.

2. They are entitled to offer annual paid leaves to their employees in sectors that have been closed.

3. Companies may negotiate the reduced wages to employees for a period of three months in exchange for reduced work hours after exhausting employee’s paid annual leave days in full, provided that this is applied-if necessary- as of May 2020.

A number of facilitations have been also introduced to support Omani employees whose wages are reduced, including:

1. Postponing the repayment of bank loans and various financing loans due to them during the period of reducing wages, and rescheduling loans without interest or additional fees.

2. Postponing the payment of electricity, water and wastewater bills until the end of June 2020, and providing an installments schedule for the amounts due later.

3. The provision of a National Fuel Support Card to some employees according to their income category.

Obligations of the private sector towards the non-Omani employees:

1. There should be an agreement between the private sector’s institutions and companies and their employees with regard to the payment of their wages.

2. Affected private sector institutions and companies are entitled to offer annual paid leaves to their employees in sectors that have been closed.

3. The affected private sector institutions and companies are urged to end the contract of the non-Omani employees permanently.

Facilitations provided by the government to private sector institutions and companies:

I. Facilitations provided by the Ministry of Manpower:

1. Reducing the fees for renewing non-Omani workforce cards as of today until the end of June 2020; the fees are reduced to RO 201 instead of RO 301. The expired cards for institutions and companies that have Omani workforce and owners of SMEs registered in Social Insurance may be renewed.

2. Exempting from fees and fines related to the work permits for the non-Omani workforce, provided that they leave the Sultanate permanently.

3. Allowing employers to renew expired work permits for employees currently outside the Sultanate during this period, and exempting them from the penalties resulting therefrom, after coordination with the competent authorities. 4.Extending the period of licenses for non-Omani workforce expiring during this period.

5. Initial work permits may be issued for non-Omani workforce for partial or temporal use; fees shall be charged based on the number of workers needed by the institution.

6. Multiple institutions owned by the same partners may assign their employees to work in any of these institutions when necessary.

7. The private sector institutions may use the workforce of other institutions to work in their facilities according to a written agreement between them.

8. Allowing affected private sector institutions and companies to terminate their non-Omani workforce labor contracts, provided that they pay all employees’ dues and let them leave the Sultanate permanently.

II. Facilitations by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry:

1. Continuation of the issued fees exemption on the renewal of the commercial registration from this date until the end of June 2020 for all institutions and companies.

2. Allowing service institutions, which provide their services to large institutions or individuals, to operate according to the precautionary measures determined by the competent authorities.

3. Adopting precautionary measures in factories so that the committed factories are allowed to resume operation.

Facilitations Package includes:

Exemptions of licensing renewal fees and fines for private sector institutions and companies for a period of three months from the Ministry of Regional Municipalities and Water Resources, the Ministry of Tourism and the Public Authority for Consumer Protection

III. Government Projects:

1. Government sectors and companies shall be committed to continue the contracts signed with private sector institutions and companies in the field of services.

2. Flexibility in extending the period of government projects completion carried out by the institutions and companies affected by the closure and exempting them from the fines and fees resulting therefrom.

IV. Facilitations by the Public Authority for Social Insurance:

1. Allowing business owners, the insured Omanis working abroad registered in the social insurance system and the like, and the insured persons registered in the social insurance system who are self-employed and the like, to postpone the due payment of the monthly contributions for March, April and May until the end of June 2020. provided that these contributions are paid in one installment before the end of the aforementioned date or in installments, as will be detailed later.

2. Exemption from the fines that will result from the delay in paying the due contributions for March, April and May 2020 or that result from the delay in registering their Omani employees or the notification of the end of their services during the same period, noting that this exemption does not include the fines imposed for any month preceding the months indicated in this item.

3. Implementing the following installments procedures and controls that are mentioned herein temporarily, from March to the end of August 2020: Non-calculation of the installment interest determined at a rate of (3%) when business owners request the installment of due contributions for the period referred to in this item, and the installment shall be paid monthly, not exceeding 24 installments, provided that these installments are paid in a continuous period from the date of starting the installment. The employer may submit a request for rescheduling the installment, provided that this is a one-time payment in each installment and not exceeding eighteen installments, and the original installment period shall be extinguished upon rescheduling and it is allowed to request rescheduling after the payment of installments is due.

V. Energy and Water Sector:

1. Postponing the payment of the electricity and water dues for a period of three months for the affected institutions and companies. The affected SMEs shall be allowed to pay these dues later in installments.

The National Fuel Support Card shall be given to the low-wage Omani workforce in the private sector temporarily until the end of the impacts of the current closure.

On March 18, 2020, the Central Bank of Oman announced other facilitations for private sector institutions and companies, including:

1. Emphasis on facilitating loans for affected sectors, including the health care, private education and travel and tourism sectors, as well as facilitating the granting of emergency loans.

2. Directing banks, finance and leasing companies to respond to the requests of postponing the payment of installments and interest/profits for affected clients for a period of three months, especially for SMEs and any party affected by the current situation.

3. Flexibility in dealing with loans related to financing government projects, as well as not introducing any new fees.

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COVID-19 Supreme Committee

COVID-19 Supreme Committee Decision of 8 April 2020

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Statement of the Supreme Committee

The Supreme Committee for Dealing with Covid-19 held a meeting this morning headed by His Excellency Sayyid Hamoud bin Faisal Al Busaidi, Minister of Interior, in the presence of all its members, at the Headquarters of the Ministry of Interior to follow up the developments of the pandemic, preventive measures and ways to avoid its spread, as well as dealing with its various impacts.

In view of the increasing number of infected cases in different locations in the Sultanate, most prominently the Wilayat of Matrah, and in the framework of efforts to limit the spread of the Coronavirus (Covid- 19), including the complete isolation of the Wilayat of Matrah, started on Wednesday April 1st, 2020 until further notice, and in order to limit the spread of the virus, the Committee decided locking down Muscat Governorate through activating the Control and Checkpoints, with effect from Friday April 10th, 2020 at 10 AM until 10 AM on Wednesday April 22, 2020. The Control and Checkpoints in the other Governorates shall continue their operations.

The Committee also decided to continue the suspension of studies in all educational institutions in the Sultanate until further notice, while stressing the importance of continuing current efforts of distance learning using various educational platforms.

The Committee expressed its thanks and appreciation for the efforts exerted by Omani Diplomatic Missions and Cultural Attachés abroad to facilitate the return of citizens in general, and students in particular, to the Sultanate.  

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COVID-19 Supreme Committee

COVID-19 Supreme Committee Decision of 31 March 2020

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Statement of the Supreme Committee

The Supreme Committee for Dealing with COVID-19 issued a new decision during its meeting today. It has decided to:

– Exempt employees of the government bodies from attending to workplace except for those whose nature of their jobs requires their presence to complete the necessary work. The rest of the employees shall carry out their work remotely as determined by the body at which the employee works.

– Some employees may be called to perform any necessary work at the workplace in case the public interest demands that. Heads of government units should take the necessary measures to ensure that the basic work is not affected by reducing the number of employees. They should, also, take the precautionary and preventive measures necessary to prevent the spread of the virus. As for the private sector, institutions and enterprises should take the necessary measures to reduce the number of employees to the minimum necessary for the sector to continue performing its basic work so that it cannot not be affected.

– The Committee stresses the absolute necessity of abiding by the procedures and measures established to prevent the spread of the virus. This decision shall take effect starting from tomorrow, Wednesday, April 1st, 2020.

– In the context of the efforts exerted to reduce the movement of citizens and residents aiming to curb the spread of the virus. the military and security services will take the necessary measures accordingly.

Therefore, the Committee calls on everyone to adhere to these procedures and to cooperate with these bodies in implementing them.