Muscat: The Supreme Committee tasked with tackling developments resulting from coronavirus (Covid-19) held a meeting today under the chairmanship of Sayyid Hamoud Faisal Al Busaidi, Minister of Interior. 

The panel followed up Covid-19 developments, measures of protection against the disease and curb its spread, as well as addressing its different impacts.

The committee studied global updates about the virus and the propagation of its latest mutant, Omicron, which caused a big rise in the number of infections and resulted in an alarming increase in hospitalizations and some deaths in some countries.

Epidemiological reports and analyses about the situation in the Sultanate of Oman point to a minor increase in positive cases, with hospitalizations and intensive care cases maintaining low rates. The reports also show that 93% of the target population received one dose of Covid-19 vaccines.

To protect society against Covid-19 and other diseases, the Supreme Committee decided the following:

1.   To start administering a third dose of the Covid-19 vaccine to people aged 18 years and above: The Ministry of Health will announce the target segments and the action plan set for the course.

2.   To apply a “unified mechanism” on dealing with unvaccinated employees and students who attempt to enter units of the State’s Administrative Apparatus and other legal entities. This is pursuant to the committee’s earlier decision on endorsing the principle of vaccination as a prerequisite for entering all government and private sector establishments. The mechanism will be circulated to all units.

The Supreme Committee has underlined the importance of continue applying the decisions governing people’s entry to mosques and the organization of conferences and other group activities within the Sultanate of Oman till further notice. This includes allowing venues of sports activities and exhibitions to operate only within 50% of their capacities and allowing access only to people who have received two doses of vaccines approved in the Sultanate of Oman (administered to those aged 18 and above), while at the same time sticking to physical distancing and wearing face masks properly.

The Supreme Committee laid emphasis on compliance with all relevant decisions and urged all to stick to precautionary measures to help avoid a probable rise in infection with the disease, which might entail the prohibition of some events and the closure of some activities.