Sunday 20 / October / 2024
Muscat: The Supreme Committee to deal with Covid-19 is holding a press conference:
Speakers at today's press conference: Dr. Ahmed Mohammed Al Saeedi
Minister of Health
Dr. Adel Said Al-Wahaibi
Director of Epidemiological Surveillance Department, Ministry of Health
Bader Saif Al Rawahi
Director of Communicable Diseases, Ministry of Health
Here are the latest updates:
1. Dr. Ahmed Mohammed Al Saeedi, Minister of Health begins the conference by congratulating all medical staff on the occasion of Doctor’s day, which is observed on March 30 every year.
2. As many as 50 new cases of coronavirus were registered in Oman, in addition to 0 new Covid-19-related deaths.
3. Dr. Al Saeedi: “The pandemic is still ongoing. The longer the virus persists, the more mutations it will undergo and develop.”
4. Dr. Al Saeedi: “Evidence shows that 90 per cent of recent deaths due to Covid-19 occurred in patients who had not been vaccinated. 96 per cent of those admitted to ICU have never received a vaccine."
5. Dr. Al Saeedi: “Unfortunately, only 10 per cent of citizens have taken the booster dose against Covid-19.”
6. Dr. Al Saeedi: “The booster dose is mandatory for those who have completed 6 months from the last dose, in order to be able to travel to Europe.”
7. Dr. Al Saeedi: “Yesterday (Tuesday), the number of registered cases of dengue fever reached 17 in the Wilayat of Baushar , 7 in the Wilayat of Seeb, and two in the Wilayat of Amerat.”
8. Dr. Al Saeedi: “We appeal to all to get rid of stagnant water bodies in their homes to prevent creating breeding grounds for the Aedes aegypti mosquito.”
9. Bader Saif Al Rawahi, Director of Communicable Diseases, Ministry of Health: “There are studies being conducted to give a fourth dose/ booster dose to reduce complications arising from Covid-19. We have not yet reached a level of community immunity against the virus. The booster dose raises immunity from 75 per cent to 80 per cent.”
10. Dr. Al Saeedi: “Evidence shows that the health sector in Oman has not been affected as badly as in some other countries.”
11. Dr. Al Saeedi: “Over 8 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine have been reserved and the total doses given amounts to 7,544,929.
12. Dr. Al Saeedi: “97 per cent of the population in Oman has been vaccinated with one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine. 90 per cent have received both doses.”
13. Dr. Al Saeedi: “Medicine and medical equipment manufacturing companies have been affected by the pandemic. Oman has a strategic stockpile that is sometimes resorted to. There are enough medicines in Oman to contribute to saving lives.”
14. Dr. Al Saeedi: “It is dangerous for children under the age of 12 to attend Tarawih prayers. For the children and their families.”
15. Director Al Rawahi: “The Ministry of Health is prioritising vaccination of children aged between 5 and 11 years.”
16. Dr. Al Saeedi: “No serious side effects have been observed in those who have taken both first and second doses of the vaccine against Covid-19.”
17. Dr. Al Saeedi: “Several institutions do not have verifiable records of the extent of vaccinations.”
18. Dr. Al Saeedi: “The first and second doses of Covid-19 vaccine are currently mandatory in Oman.”
19. Dr. Al Saeedi: “Decisions by the Supreme Committee, related to the Holy Month of Ramadan, are aimed at protecting the public health and not at creating obstacles.”
20. The approved vaccines in the Sultanate are:
1-AstraZeneca (Vaxzevria, Covishield)
2- Pfizer-BioNTech (Comirnaty)
3- Moderna (Spikevax, Takeda Japan)
4- Sinopharm (Beijing) (Covilo)
5- Sinovac (CoronaVac)
6- Bharat Biotech (Covaxin)
7- CanSinoBio (Convidecia)
8- Novavax (Nuvaxovid) (Covovax)
9- Gamaleya Research Institute (Sputnik V)
10- Johnson & Johnson ( Ad26.COV2.S)
11- Sputnik Lite
21. Dr. Al Saeedi: “There is no conclusive evidence that links Covid-19 vaccines to heart diseases.”
22. Dr. Al Saeedi: “There is a delay from the manufacturer’s end in supplying vaccines for children. We hope to receive it during the first half of this year.”
23. Dr. Al Saeedi: “We will return to the system of using the ID card to move between the land ports of countries in the Gulf Cooperation Council. This has been agreed upon with the Inspector General of Police and Customs”
24. Dr. Al Saeedi: “The health sector has been confronting the effects of the pandemic for 2 years and 3 months. During this time, we were able to deliver medicines, services to 84 per cent of people with chronic diseases.”
25. Dr. Al Saeedi: “One of the initial rumours against the vaccine was that those who took the vaccine, would be dead in two years. I have taken the vaccine two years four months ago, nothing happened. I don’t know what the 10 per cent of unvaccinated people are waiting for. “
26. Dr. Al Saeedi: “We will not allow the use of any medical supplies which are not checked to ensure that they are safe.”
27. Dr. Al Saeedi: "The PCR examination has been canceled for those coming to the Sultanate, whether for work or tourism, but vaccination is the basis. If we allow entry without adherence to vaccination, the virus will spread again through those coming to the Sultanate who have not yet shown symptoms."
