Saudi Gazette report

MUSCAT — Oman has announced a complete lockdown on the first three days of Eid-Al-Adha, banning public prayers, pre-Eid souqs (habta), and gatherings during the period as part of the government's efforts to curb the spread of coronavirus in the Sultanate, the Oman News Agency (BNA) reported on Tuesday.

As part of the move, which was taken by the country's top coronavirus committee headed by Interior Minister Sayyid Hamoud Faisal Al-Busaidi on Tuesday, also stipulates a two-week-long evening (from 5.p.m. to 4 a.m.) closure of commercial activities and the ban on movement of individuals and vehicles, starting from July 16 (Friday) except on the three days of Eid Al Adha during which the lockdown will be throughout the day.

The governorate of Musandam is exempted from the decision of closure of commercial activities and ban on movement of individuals and vehicles due to the low number of infections and hospitalized COVID-19 patients there.

However, it is not allowed for people outside cannot visit the governorate, effective from July 9 (Friday) except for 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 travelers from abroad who took two doses of the vaccines.

The supreme committee also lifted the ban on travelers arriving in the Sultanate from Egypt and it added Singapore, Indonesia, Iraq, Iran, Tunisia, Libya, Argentina, Columbia, Brunei Darussalam to its travel ban list.

Travelers from the above-mentioned countries are not allowed to enter the Sultanate with effect from 5 p.m. on July 9 (Friday) till further notice. The ban applies to travelers who happened to have visited the above-mentioned countries within 14 days from applying to enter the Sultanate.