Oman asks private sector to activate work-from-home measures

On Sunday, the Supreme Committee that is responsible for dealing with Covd-19 in the sultanate of Oman issued new directives to contain the spread of the pandemic, reported Times of Oman.

The new directives which ban public gatherings and have ordered the closing of exchange houses within the country, among other measures, comes on the same day that the sultanate’s Ministry of Health confirmed three new cases within the country, taking the total number of those infected to 55.

Read: Oman bans entry for all non-Omanis, except GCC citizens

From March 17, Oman began banning the entry for all-non Omanis into the country, except GCC citizens, and allowed its residents to reenter the country.

Read: Oman Air to cut staff after virus hits airline as ‘never before’

It also decided to suspend Friday prayers and began to impose a quarantine on all passengers arriving in the sultanate via all land, sea and air ports and checkpoints, including for Omanis.

This list of new directives issued by the committee on Sunday include:

— Reducing the number of employees in government agencies to not more than 30% of their capacity to complete necessary functions, while the rest of the employees work remotely.

— Preventing gatherings of all kinds in public places, with appropriate measures undertaken against violators.

— Closing all exchange houses, with banks providing exchange services.

— Stopping the printing of newspapers, magazines and publications of all kinds and preventing their circulation.

— Closing all customer services outlets in all public and private institutions, and using electronic services instead.

— The private sector must develop appropriate mechanisms for working remotely and reduce the groups of workers and employees on the job.

— Commercial enterprises and individuals should limit dealing with banknotes and should use electronic payments as an alternative.