Eight COVID-19 testing centres in Oman

Muscat: Locals and expats in Oman can visit eight medical centres set up across the country for COVID-19 tests.
Of these centres, five are based in Muttrah, while one each will be set up in Salalah, Nizwa and Sohar to help people living in those areas.
Dr Assim Al Manji, a doctor at the Department of Disease Surveillance and Control at the Directorate of Health Services, sharing the locations of these testing centres, said, “The first one is at the Muttrah Health Centre, the second is at Sablat Muttrah, the third was in Harat Al Shamal, but we have finished running tests for people in that area, so this has now been established beside the old office of the Wali of Muttrah.
“The fourth centre is in Hayy Al Mina, and the fifth is at Hassan bin Thabit School, but this is yet to be opened,” he explained. “There are volunteer teams consisting of citizens living in Muttrah, who are going to expatriates to advise to go to these centres. They will not be asked to show their residence cards and will get free coronavirus testing and treatment at both these centres and hospitals.”
An official from the Ministry of Health added: “There will be three more centres in the Sultanate in Sohar, Nizwa and Salalah, which have been equipped to conduct COVID-19 tests, and accommodate people there. These centres will be able to quickly detect infections, and this is important for us, because it takes time to send these samples to Muscat for analysis.”
“These three centres outside Muscat are ready to operated, but they need to procure the chemicals needed to conduct these tests, and they will be up and running during the coming days to reduce the pressure on the centres in the Governorate of Muscat,” added the official.
“During the recently-conducted medical tests, several cases of coronavirus infection were discovered,” he said: “The medical testing centres have great effectiveness in attracting many citizens and residents who go there on a daily basis to undergo COVID-19 testing.
Al Manji also said that only those who presented with the symptoms of COVID-19 needed to get themselves tested. “These symptoms include cough, temperature and sneezing. Those who do not present with symptoms should not go. When you go to the centre, you will be tested for the symptoms of COVID-19.”
“You will then be sent inside the centre to another medical team, where more tests will be conducted,” he added. “The medical will provide advice on self-isolation and hyginece practices that must be followed, such as washing the face and hands.”