MUSCAT: Oman has announced a complete lockdown on commercial activities and ban on movement of individuals and vehicles as well as prayers, pre-Eid souqs (habta) and gatherings throughout the three days of Eid Al Adha.
The evening closure of commercial activities and the ban on movement of individuals and vehicles will continue to take effect from 5 pm everyday till 4 am the next day, starting from July 16 to 31, except on the three days of Eid Al Adha during which the lockdown will be throughout the day, reported Oman News Agency (ONA).
The Governorate of Musandam is exempted from the decision of closure of commercial activities and ban on movement of individuals and vehicles due to the low number of infections and hospitalized Covid-19 patients there. This decision took effect from July 6, with emphasis on the population in Musandam Governorate taking full precautions as indicated earlier, like wearing face masks and refraining from gatherings.
Also, it is not allowed to visit the Governorate of Musandam, except for people who have taken at least one dose of the approved vaccine in the Sultanate (from among citizens and residents aged 18 years and above), as well as travellers from abroad who took two doses of the vaccines. This decision takes effect from 5 pm from Friday, 9 July 2021, till further notice.
Oman’s Supreme Committee has decided to lift the ban on travellers arriving from Egypt to the Sultanate. Yet, a new list of travel-ban countries has been added, and these are Singapore, Indonesia, Iraq, Iran, Tunisia, Libya, Argentina, Columbia and Brunei Darussalam.
Travellers from the above-mentioned countries are not allowed to enter the Sultanate with effect from 5 pm of July 9, till further notice. The same ban applies to travellers who happened to have visited the above-mentioned countries within 14 days from applying to enter the Sultanate.
The Supreme Committee stressed that the decisions of closure of all land border checkpoints of the Sultanate continue to take effect and that international activities and conferences be suspended in the Sultanate till further notice.
All celebration halls have to be closed, and so shall related activities like the leasing of tents. All local activities of public nature shall be suspended, and this includes sports activities and exhibitions of all types.
