Tuesday 23 / April / 2024
Muscat: People in Oman have welcomed the easing of precautionary measures to curb the spread of COVID-19 in Oman. They hope that things would finally get back to normal in the coming weeks.
In the wake of a decline in the rate of infections in the country, coupled with fewer admissions in intensive care units and COVID wards in hospitals, the Supreme Committee issued a number of key decisions, the most important of which is the dropping of the pre-travel PCR tests for fully vaccinated passengers who plan to come to Oman.
The steps taken by the committee reflect those taken in dozens of countries around the world as infection rates continue to decline and the world gradually reopens.
“Going forward, the locals and residents in Oman can resume their travel plans, which had to be postponed or cancelled because of the disruption caused by the pandemic,” said Faiyaz Khan, general manager for Travel Point, a travel agency in the country. “Finally, many of us can once again start to think about our holidays.”
Omani national Ali Al Balushi said the news of easing of the COVID measures was great for everyone in the family, especially for his children.
“Of course, you can have your lessons online, but it is not the same as actually going to school and interacting with your friends and teachers which is vital for their mental development,” he said. “After all, that is the age when growth takes place. Let us hope the pandemic’s worst days are behind us.
“The most painful thing for me was, however, denying them permission to play outside,” he added.
“Of course, COVID precautions were made for our safety, but this pandemic has been tough on all of us. In the early days, we would work exclusively from home and not go out anywhere.
“Even when we gradually began returning to offices, we were extremely cautious about how to interact with others and what we needed to do after coming into contact door handles and office furniture,” he said. “The uncertainty of the pandemic certainly affected everyone.”
Jassim Al Barwani, another local, added: “For shopping, I used to go out alone, because I did not want to expose my wife and children to the virus. Shopping used to be a family affair for all of us…we used to go out to eat afterwards, our children would pick something they liked. It was a great way to spend time. Yes, things are now better and we hope they continue to improve.”
A mental health professional in the country also spoke about how COVID-19 impacted every aspect of people’s lives.
“Everyone has been feeling the uncertainty brought about by the pandemic at some level,” said Anuya Phule, a psychotherapist at Hatat Polyclinic.
She added: “Whether you work for a large company or own a small business, a loss in income will lead to multiple health issues, including distress, which could lead to other disorders and health issues like anxiety, panic and depression.
“Sadly, some people may also have had suicidal thoughts because they felt helpless during such times,” she said. “People who are economically better off would also have felt the distress, but to a lesser extent, as COVID might not have disrupted their daily life and comfort. Let us hope, however, that the worst of the pandemic is behind us and that people feel reassured once again by all that is going on around them.”
