Supreme Committee to close all commercial activities in all governorates from March 4

Oman Monday 01/March/2021 16:52 PM
By: Times News Service
Supreme Committee to close all commercial activities in all governorates from March 4

Muscat:  All commercial activities in the Sultanate’s governorates will remain closed between 8 pm and 5 am from Thursday 4 March to Saturday 20 March 2021, the Supreme Committee tasked with tackling developments resulting from coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has decided.

The decision has been taken to protect society and individuals from the spread of COVID-19 —particularly due to the rapid spread of infection.

The closure covers all restaurants, cafes and cafeterias inside tourism installations, in addition to home delivery services. The ban exempts fuel filling stations, health establishments and private pharmacies.

The Committee reviewed the international COVID-19 epidemiological scenario marked by a steep surge in the number of infections and deaths due to the prevalence of new, mutated variants of the virus.  

On the domestic front, data analysis shows a rise in number of patients admitted to hospital and death cases in all parts of the Sultanate.

In some of the Sultanate’s governorates, a surge beyond the red mark was registered, with an alarming swell linked to travel cases amid the global propagation of the disease and the lack of information about the situation in departure countries.

Data also indicates lab-confirmed infection cases linked to international mutated strains (among them the South Africa variant) that caused a local spillover and the emergence of hotbeds in the Sultanate’s governorates.

The Supreme Committee held a meeting on Monday under the chairmanship of Sayyid Hamoud Faisal Al Busaidi, Minister of Interior, to follow up updates on the pandemic, measures for protection against the virus and ways to curb its spread and alleviate its impacts.

Within the context of Education Ministry’s application of the Blended Learning System, the Supreme Committee approved the continuation of online learning in government schools from Sunday 7 March to Thursday 11 March 2021. During this period, an assessment will be made in light of epidemiological updates in the Sultanate.

The Committee has laid emphasis on the seriousness (dangerousness) of this stage at a time the disease is gaining new grounds at the local and international levels. The Committee has urged all members of the public to take precautions and protect their families and communities, with special attention to be accorded to the elderly, children and people suffering from chronic diseases.

The Committee has called upon all to avoid gatherings, noting that assembling proved to be scientifically associated with infection cases in societies on a large scale. In its statement, the Committee prayed to the Almighty Allah to protect all people against all harm