Omani citizens who wish to return to the sultanate have just 10 days to do so as authorities extended border closures for the foreseeable future as part of strict measures announced to curb the spread of coronavirus.
Oman initially closed its borders last month to control the spread of the new variant of the Covid-19 virus. This has been extended “until further notice”.
According to a statement by the Oman News Agency (ONA), the grace period for people looking to travel back to the country will run until midnight on Sunday February 21 “after which the passage of individuals will not be permitted until the land ports are reopened”, it said.
Those returning have been ordered to comply with isolation restrictions.
The country’s Supreme Committee has also announced that all commercial activities in the North Sharqiyah Governorate must close from 7pm until 6am from Friday for a period of 14 days – petrol stations health institutions and private pharmacies are excluded.
While all beaches, parks and public parks in all governorates of the Sultanate will be closed from Thursday for two weeks.
Gatherings in rest houses, farms and camps are banned and the committee recommended avoiding family gatherings in homes and other private places.
And capacity levels in government and private halls, visitor centres, shops, markets, restaurants, hookah cafes and closed gyms, will be reduced to 50 percent from Friday morning “until further notice”.
all beaches, parks and public parks in all governorates of the Sultanate will be closed from Thursday for two weeks
Meanwhile, small and medium enterprises have had loan payments postponed until the end of June to mitigate the economic impact of the pandemic.
The report on ONA said: “The Supreme Committee affirms that it is in constant systematic follow-up of the developments of this pandemic locally and internationally, and that the competent authorities continue to punish those who violate thedecisions that have been taken to protect members of society from the spread of this disease of various strains, and this includes publishing the names and pictures of violators in various media outlets.
“The competent authority will close any institution that has been permitted to practice its activities in the past if it does not comply with all the conditions set for it to conduct those activities, and the names and details of the institutions in violation will be announced in all media.”
To date, Oman has reported 136,377 cases of coronavirus and 1,537 related deaths.
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