Oman: Complete lockdown declared for Eid Al Adha 2021

Officials in Oman have confirmed a complete lockdown in the country across three days of Eid Al Adha later this month. During that time, a total ban will be imposed on all commercial activities and the movement of individuals and vehicles as well.

Furthermore, the country’s Supreme Committee stated that besides a round-the-clock lockdown on the three Eid days, additionally there will be a daily evening closure of commercial activities and ban on movement of individuals and vehicles from 5pm until 4am the following day starting from Friday, July 16, 2021, until the morning of Saturday, July 31, 2021.

However, the governorate of Musandam is exempted from the decision of closure of commercial activities and movement ban on individuals and vehicles due to the low number of infections and hospitalised Covid-19 patients there. The decision to exempt Musandam from any lockdown measures takes effect immediately, with the population in Musandam urged to take all precautions including wearing face masks and refraining from gatherings. Also, starting from 5pm on Friday, July 9, 2021, until further notice, only those 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 foreign travellers who have taken both doses of the vaccine, will be allowed to visit Musandam.

In addition to the travel restrictions to Musandam, the committee added that starting from 5pm on Friday, July 9, 2021, Omani citizens and residents who have taken at least one dose of approved vaccines (from among those aged 18 and above) are allowed to visit the Governorate of Dhofar. Also, foreign travellers who took both doses of the vaccines will be allowed to enter Dhofar. Occupancy in hotels and furnished apartments though should not exceed 50 per cent in Dhofar.

The directives were issued following a meeting of the Supreme Committee at the Interior Ministry on Tuesday, where they reviewed the Covid-19 situation across the country. It noted that the number of inpatients have multiplied in hospital wards and intensive care units, in addition to a spate on recent deaths, reported Oman News Agency.

The Supreme Committee added that no Eid Al Adha prayers, no traditional pre-Eid souqs (habta) and no gatherings are allowed in all governorates of the country. This ban includes family gatherings, Eid greeting assemblies and collective celebrations of Eid.

With regards to bans on international arrivals, the country has lifted the restrictions on passengers arriving from Egypt. However, it updated the list of countries on which it has imposed a travel ban and added Singapore, Indonesia, Iraq, Iran, Tunisia, Libya, Argentina, Columbia, Brunei Darussalam to it. Travellers from the above-mentioned countries are not allowed to enter the Sultanate with effect from 5pm of Friday, July 9, 2021, until further notice. The ban applies to travellers who were in any of these countries 14 days prior to entering the sultanate.

The Committee said that the decisions to close all land border checkpoints across the sultanate will remain in effect, and that international activities and conferences will remain suspended indefinitely. All celebration halls must be closed and local activities of public nature shall be suspended, and this includes sports activities and exhibitions of all types.