Thursday 26 / December / 2024
Muscat: The Supreme Committee members are addressing the media.
Attendees at the press conference:
1. H.E Dr. Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Saeedi, Minister of Health, Member of the Supreme Committee on COVID-19.
2. H.E Maitha Saif Al Mahrouqi, Undersecretary of Ministry of Heritage and Tourism.
3. Colonel / Ali bin Hamed Al Sulaimani, Assistant Director General of Passports and Residence, Royal Oman Police.
4. Major / Mohammed bin Salam Al Hashami, Directorate of Public Relations, Royal Oman Police.
5. Dr. Saif bin Salim Al Abri, Director General of Disease Surveillance and Control, Ministry of Health.
Following are the highlights:
1- The Ministry of Health has registered 179 new coronavirus cases and 2 deaths in Oman.
2- Minister of Health: The numbers since mid-October have been in a steady decline due to citizens and residents' compliance with the precautionary measures.
3- Minister of Health: Opening of activities does not mean that life has returned to normal or that the virus is not present. The numbers of infections can increase.
4- Minister of Healths: We expect vaccines doses to arrive before the end of the year and have very limited dispensing capacity.
5- Minister of Health: We the members of the Supreme Committee, regret seeing some officials in their inspection tours and activities without wearing masks, and there is a directive by the Minister of Information not to cover events that do not adhere to the precautionary measures.
6- Undersecretary of Ministry of Heritage and Tourism: The losses in the tourism sector reached about half a billion Omani Rials.
7- Minister of Health: During the last period, the number of cases in intensive care reached 220 cases, and today, there are 65 cases, as a result of adherence to preventive and precautionary measures.
8- Undersecretary of the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism : The Supreme Committee has agreed to reduce the quarantine period upon arrival in the Sultanate and to suffice with the PCR examination, while adhering to health isolation in the tourist facility until the results of the examination appear.
9- Dr. Saif Al Abri: As for land border ports, PCR examination is required before arrival to the Sultanate, and for air ports (Muscat International Airport), the examination is not required before arrival, but rather upon arrival to the Sultanate.
10- Minister of Health: Monitor the epidemiological situation in the Sultanate before making any decision regarding the return of students from schools, universities, colleges and institutes.
11- Minister of Health: There is no law that compels anyone to take any vaccination other than child vaccinations, and the decision to take the vaccine is up to the individual’s decision, and we rely on community awareness.
12- Minister of Health: There are priorities set for those who are eligible for the vaccine in all countries, and if the vaccine is made available in the Sultanate, then the priority groups for the vaccine will be free of charge.
13- Bader Al Rawahi: The groups most at risk and complications of the disease will be vaccinated according to priority, including front lines, basic service providers, chronic disease patients, the elderly and immunocompromised, at a rate of two doses per person.
14- Saif Al-Abri : We have completed the national investigative serological survey for Covid 19 , and we are now in the stage of analyzing the results.
15- The Minister of Health: The vaccine will be free for the target groups, namely the elderly over the age of 65, those with diabetes, those with kidney failure, those undergoing dialysis, those with chronic lung diseases, health workers in intensive care, and workers in the Covid-19 wards.
16- Badr Al-Rawahi: A national survey will be carried out during the next week in cooperation with the National Center for Statistics and Information to study the extent of society's acceptance of the Covid 19 vaccine.
17- Ali bin Hamad Al-Sulaymani: The recent facilities for visas came with the aim of facilitating tourism movement in the Sultanate.
18- Dr. Badr Al-Rawahi: The groups excluded from receiving the vaccine are children under 18 years of age and those who are allergic to some components of the vaccine.
19- Minister of Health: We do not have any evidence or confirmation that there was a death due to the vaccine.
20- Minister of Health: A mechanism has been set up for the distribution of vaccines to the various governorates of the Sultanate in the event of it's arrival.
