COVID: Oman eases domestic restrictions; extends entry ban for some countries

MUSCAT: The Sultanate of Oman has relaxed Covid restrictions across the country allowing mosques to reopen and extending business hours to operate into night, the local news agency reported on Wednesday.

The supreme committee of the Sultanate tasked with tackling Covid related developments has issued a new set of SOPs with immediate effect.

It allowed to re-open all the mosques whose capacity is not less than 100 worshippers, only to perform the five daily prayers and exclusive of Friday. It takes place in accordance with measures earlier announced by the Awqaf and Health ministries.

Secondly, the decision prohibiting all commercial activities in the Sultanate from 8 pm- to 4 am has been withdrawn. The re-opening of business outlets will be in accordance with the decision that only 50 per cent visitor capacity of restaurants, cafes, shops and outlets will be allowed.

Similarly, the permission to open exhibition and wedding halls and similar collective commercial activities provided attendance at the outlets does not exceed 30% of their capacity and to a maximum of 300 people in the case of large halls.

Furthermore, people can visit parks and beaches but gatherings of any kind is banned while sports activities in the open place have been allowed, too.

Members and tenants of gyms and hotel are only allowed to use swimming pools and other facilities with SOP compliance.

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On the other hand, for in-travel, Omanis and GCC citizens with Omanese residence may move across land borders between Oman and their respective states to perform their daily tasks. However, they will be required to furnish proof of the assignments given by their respective places of work.

The committee also extended till further notice its decision prohibiting entry to the Sultanate by travelers arriving from Sudan, Brazil, Nigeria, Tanzania, Sierra Leone, Ethiopia, the United Kingdom, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Egypt, and the Philippines.

Separately, Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam and travelers arriving from any other country if they happen to have passed by any of the above-mentioned countries within a period of 14 days from applying to enter the Sultanate. This decision takes effect from June 5.