Oman takes tough measures to tackle coronavirus

Muscat: Starting today, studies at all educational institutions and sports activities will remain suspended for 30 days. Court session attendants are limited to the concerned parties and no new tourist visas will be issued.
These precautionary decisions will come into effect following the recommendations of the new Supreme Committee that was set up to tackle the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) in the country and will be in effect for a 30-day period.
The Committee was formed on Royal Orders of His Majesty Sultan Haitham Bin Tarik, in light of global developments around COVID-19. The first meeting of this committee was overseen by Hamoud bin Faisal Al Busaidi, the Minister of Interior, at the general diwan of the Minister of the Interior.
Speaking at the outset of the meeting, Sayyid Hamoud said that the issue is accorded great attention by His Majesty the Sultan and it reflects His Majesty’s concern for the health and safety of all citizens and residents alike. The committee reviewed the latest developments of the virus and its categorisation by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a pandemic. It also looked into coordination with the authorities concerned, as well as public awareness efforts for prevention and treatment.
The Committee discussed various aspects of handling the pandemic in the coming period and the respective precautions, recommendations and decisions.
The Supreme Committee on COVID-19 also recommended not travelling abroad (except in extreme urgency/emergency), implementing preventive measures at worship areas and family gatherings, and not frequenting cinema halls.
The committee will remain in constant session to follow up on coronavirus pandemic data and accordingly take proper decisions. The panel also valued the efforts of all state institutions entrusted with epidemic detection and prevention, as well as the care and attention accorded to quarantined patients by health workers.
Meanwhile, based on the local and international epidemic indicators on coronavirus and the classification of the WHO for the disease, the Supreme Committee following with the mechanism for handling the developments of COVID-19, has decided to suspend studies at all educational institutions of all levels in the Sultanate for one month effective from Sunday March 15, 2020.
The Committee urges all parents and families to keep students at home during this period.
It also requests all to refrain from public gatherings of all types and to follow all safety guidelines.
Dr Solin bint Mubarak Al Khaliliyah, a doctor at the Directorate General of Diseases Surveillance and Control at the Ministry of Health, made a presentation that included many themes, including an introduction to the virus (COVID-19), methods of virus transmission, its symptoms, age groups most vulnerable to infection, preventive measures that are recommended to be taken to prevent the spread of infection, and the global and local epidemiological situation, as well as efforts to tackle the virus.
-With inputs from ONA