Muscat: The Supreme Committee tasked with tackling developments resulting from coronavirus (COVID-19) held a meeting today under the chairmanship of Sayyid Hamoud Faisal al-Busaidy, Minister of Interior, to follow up updates on the pandemic, discuss protection measures and seek ways to curb its impacts.
The Committee expressed thanks and appreciation to individuals and the society for what it described as “great commitment” to procedures endorsed recently to stem the devastating epidemic. It valued positive response to the total lockdown, which involved a ban on movement of people and vehicles during Eid Al Ad’ha days. The Committee expressed its gratitude to all civil, military and private establishments, as well as working teams for the “exceptional efforts” exerted during the lockdown.
The Supreme Committee noted “a marked decline” in numbers of new infections, hospitalised persons, patients admitted to intensive care units and death cases all over the Sultanate.
It stressed the need to maintain caution and stick to protective measures. Such commitment and collaboration will lend strong support to the National Immunisation Campaign aimed to steer the whole society to safety in the face of the pandemic and avoid further negative impacts like loss of life and social and economic repercussions, the Committee affirmed.
To attain this goal, the Supreme Committee urges all those who have not yet taken the first dose of vaccination against COVID-19 to come forward and get vaccinated.
The Committee is currently studying suitable measures related to vaccination to secure public health, including procedures related to entry to public places and means of availing services of the public and private sectors, as well as travel measures governing entry to the Sultanate.
To protect the gains made so far, the Supreme Committee decided to maintain a nighttime closure of business activities and ban the movement of individuals and vehicles from 10 pm to 4 am, with effect from today, Thursday, 29 July.