Muscat: All passengers arriving in the Sultanate from abroad must now undergo a PCR test and observe a 7-day quarantine.

The Supreme Committee tasked with tackling developments resulting from Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has said that people arriving in the Sultanate from abroad have to undergo a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test within a period of not more than 96 hours prior to entry time.

They have also been requested to undergo the same test upon arriving in the Sultanate, observe a 7-day quarantine period and repeat the PCR test on the 8th day.

The test should be conducted in accordance with the document furnished by the Ministry of Health (MoH) citing conditions and requirements.

The decision was made during a meeting held at the Interior Ministry today under the chairmanship of Sayyid Hamoud bin Faisal al Busaidi, Minister of Interior, Chairman of the Supreme Committee.

The meeting reviewed updates on the development of the pandemic locally and internationally, as well as measures to protect populations against the virus, curb its spread, and tackle its different impacts.

The Committee also reviewed a proposal on public volunteering to help fight the pandemic.

In this context, the committee tasked Walis to start registering volunteers, whose efforts it described as “a contribution to the noble national task”.

The government body has pointed out that more details of the initiative would be unveiled later.