The Supreme Committee entrusted with undertaking measures to tackle developments resulting from the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic held a meeting on Tuesday under its chairman H E Sayyid Hamoud bin Faisal al Busaidi, Minister of Interior.

The committee reviewed arrangements made by the Sultan’s Armed Forces, the ROP and other security services to lend support to the national action aimed at tackling the pandemic.

Opening bank account

In response to initiatives undertaken by citizens, private establishments, civil society institutions and residents to support efforts to contain the pandemic, the Supreme Committee decided to open an account (Bank Muscat A/c no 0423057947840019) to receive donations. The funds will be under the management of the Ministry of Health.

Due to a rise in cases in the sultanate, the committee activated the ‘Medical Response and Public Health’ sector and the ‘Shelter and Relief’ sector.

Suspension of local flights

The committee also decided to suspend all domestic and international flights to and from the sultanate’s airports with effect from 12 noon of Sunday, March 29 2020, with the exception of flights to Musandam and air cargo.

Arranging return of citizens

In another decision, the committee instructed that the departments concerned must undertake steps to arrange the return of citizens, particularly students. It also instructed the departments concerned to provide institutional isolation for those who return and to utilise the latest technologies and follow-up formalities for ‘isolated’ and ‘quarantined’ cases to ensure the containment of the virus.

The Supreme Committee also gave directives to the departments concerned to allocate safe places for washing the dead in each of the sultanate’s wilayats and to deal with every corpse as deemed necessary to reduce infection risks.

The committee calls upon people and establishments to stick to precautionary measures and preventive procedures to stem the spread of the coronavirus. It also warned against the risks entailed by public gatherings, including indoor gatherings, as these might increase the probabilities of virus spread.

The committee prayed to the Almighty Allah to protect Oman, its Sultan and Omani citizens and residents against all harms.