FOLLOW LOCKDOWN RULES: ROP

Essential services have been exempted from lockdown which will continue till October 24

MUSCAT: Oman on Sunday evening entered into a nationwide lockdown between 8pm and 5am.

The lockdown is aimed at checking the increasing number of COVID-19 cases in the country. It will be in force till October 24.

The Royal Oman Police (ROP) also began locking beaches and monitoring adherence to the ban on movement there throughout the day till further notice in implementation of decisions of the Supreme Committee tasked with tackling developments resulting from coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

To ensure non-disruption of basic services or hindrance to emergency cases during the lockdown period, the ROP will allow the traffic of the following vehicles: Emergency vehicles (electricity, water, telecom), consumer item supply vehicles, fish transport vehicles, oil and gas tankers and trucks carrying containers with the purpose of import and export to and from the Sultanate’s ports and official checkpoints provided only the driver will be onboard.

Similar permission will also be given to vehicles of medical crew, health workers at the Field Hospital on the old airport’s premises and arrival and departure passengers via official exits points provided they show their tickets, as well as patients going to hospitals and health centres.

The ROP would like to reaffirm its preparedness to handle all incidents through police deployment in all wilayats of the Sultanate.

This will be done with the purpose of maintaining security and safety and implementing the decisions of the Supreme Committee on prohibiting family and social gatherings of all sorts, particularly on beaches during the day, and ensuring the closure of all public places and commercial outlets.

The ROP will monitor adherence to preventive measures against the spread of the virus. Its patrols will monitor public places, with support from the Police Aviation and the use of drones to inspect the public and ambush offenders.

The ROP warns that it will be firm with violators of the Supreme Committee’s decisions. Legal action will be taken against offenders, who will face trial before the designated courts. The Royal Oman Police urges owners of business establishments and shopping outlets to stick to lockdown instructions and allow workers to leave the workplace before 8 pm.

Citizens and residents have to finish their daily works before the start of the lockdown period to avoid getting fines, said the ROP, which advised citizens and residents to get directives and instructions only via official channels. It also requests all to report offenders to the Supreme Committee by dialing (9999).