Muscat: Oman's Supreme Committee has announced that the Sultanate's land borders will remain closed until further notice, with the exception of the passage of trucks.
A number of guideline have been revealed in a meeting held on Wednesday under the chairmanship of Interior Minister Sayyid Hamoud Faisal Al Busaidi, Times of Oman reported.
Following the recommendations of the specialised technical team, the Supreme Committee has decided the following:
1. To continue the closure of all land borders of the Sultanate till further notice, except for the passage of trucks. Omani citizens abroad who wish to return to the Sultanate will be allowed to return home, but only within a period of 10 days from the time of publication of this statement, namely till 10 a.m. of Sunday 21 February 2021, after which no individuals will be allowed to enter the Sultanate till such time that the closure of land borders is lifted. All citizens wishing to come back to the Sultanate (within the 10-day period) have to undergo institutional health isolation at their own cost, besides being abiding by other procedures imposed on incoming travelers.
2. To make institutional health isolation compulsory to all incoming travellers via land, sea and air border checkpoints, all at their own cost, because many failed to adhere to home quarantine and breached previously approved procedures.
3. To keep all commercial activities in North A’Sharqiyah Governorate closed from 7 pm to 6 am with effect from the evening of Friday 12 February 2021, for a period of 14 days, with the exception of fuel filling stations, health establishments and private pharmacies.
4. To close all beaches, leisure spaces and public parks in all governorates of the Sultanate with effect from February 11, 2021, for a period of two weeks, while at the same time maintaining the ban on all gatherings, irrespective of their whereabouts — be it in rest-houses, farms, winter camps, manor houses or elsewhere. The committee recommends avoiding assembling of families within homes or other private places.
5. Down-sizing by 50 per cent of the number of visitors to government departments or private establishments or commercial centres or business outlets or marketplaces or restaurants or cafeterias or cafes serving shisha or indoor sports halls. The downsizing begins in the morning February 12, 2021 and continues till further notice.
6. Postponement of loan premiums payable to (the previous) Al Raffd Fund by owners of small and medium enterprises for the period from January 1, 2021 to June 30, 2021. This is in addition to offering incentives to beneficiaries from (the previous) Sanad and Livelihood Resources Programme. The incentives will be announced later by the authorities concerned.
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