Two sanitizer brands suspended

UNDER LENS: Action follows withdrawal by their country of origin and prevalence of high percentage of methanol

The Ministry of Health on Saturday suspended two sanitizer brands and ordered their immediate recall from the market.

“The suspension of the brands was taken following their withdrawal by their country of origin and prevalence of high percentage of methanol (methyl alcohol),” a statement from the Directorate General of Pharmaceutical Affairs and Drug Control at the ministry said.

According to the statement, the two brands are Shield Hand Sanitizing Gel manufactured by the Bonn Medical Industries and the other is First, Hand Sanitizing Gel manufactured by Rayt Albayan for Disinfected and Cosmetic (KSA) – both were made in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The Ministry urged both citizens and residents not to buy and use these products from markets.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Regional Municipalities and Water Resources (MRMWR) said that officials in Barka closed a coffee shop as it did not abide by the decision issued by the Supreme Committee on COVID-19.

“The closure was ordered as the management of the coffee shop did not comply with the orders of the authorities. It will be slapped with a fine of RO 300 as decided by the committee,” MRMWR said in a statement.

Last week, a meeting of the Supreme Committee decided mandatory closure of barber shops, beauty salons, wedding and conference halls, sports and cultural clubs in addition to traditional and commercial markets with exception to a few businesses.

Accordingly, Muscat Municipality on Saturday, during its campaign, closed a barbershop which was found open to customers.

Earlier, the municipality officials in Al Seeb carried out inspections on markets places that included women’s beauty salons to ensure implementation of closure of the shops.

“During the inspections, two shops were found open. A fine of RO 300 was imposed on them in addition to their closure,” the municipality said in an online statement.