Wednesday 30 / October / 2024
Muscat: Omani citizens being offered free COVID-19 tests will enable early detection of infection, and help in stopping the spread of the virus, a senior member of the Majlis Al Shura has said.
Speaking during a session of the Shura Council, Hilal Al Sarmi, the head of the Health and Environment Committee, said infections could in this way be targeted in terms of their origin, before potentially spreading to other people.
“These centres that will provide free examination of citizens will help in early detection of new cases of infection, as well as show us where new mutations are focused,” he explained.
“It is not possible to control these mutations, except by surrounding the focus area of the mutation, and by discovering them at an early date. These centres must be set up throughout the country.”
Al Sarmi added that private healthcare sectors can also contribute to this testing system, by charging a nominal fee of OMR5 from citizens and residents.
He also called for limiting the numbers of people able to enter malls, shops, commercial establishments, government buildings, and other areas where people gather in large numbers.
“Let the governorates be assigned priority in managing the COVID-19 pandemic by allowing their officials to manage their current situation, so that we can make best use of the governorates’ resources, whether in terms of infrastructure, human resources, charity organisations, volunteer teams, and other elements capable of fighting against the pandemic,” he suggested.
Hilal Al Sarmi noted during his statement the importance of stopping all flights coming from the areas affected by mutant strains of the virus, for a period of at least two weeks. This measure can then be evaluated through the epidemiological maps of these countries.
“This will reduce the burden on our medical personnel,” he said.
“There is also the necessity of evaluating the treatment protocol plan adopted at the present time and working with friendly countries to determine the best medical protocols and methods of evaluating and isolating cases in COVID departments, in order to ensure receiving the most effective treatment in light of the many mutations we have in the country.”
