Oman to ease COVID-19 curfew from Saturday

Oman will ease a curfew imposed to combat the spread of COVID-19 by reopening public buildings, malls and restaurants and resuming public events.

Shops have been closed and commercial activities shuttered between 8:00 pm and 4:00 am since May.

They will reopen on Saturday but from September 1 vaccination will be mandatory to enter government and private sector establishments.

Vaccination is also being introduced as a condition for people entering Oman, on top of an existing seven-day quarantine requirement, a government committee tasked with coordinating efforts against the pandemic said on Twitter.

COVID-19 infections are decreasing in Oman, with 187 reported per day on average over the past week, according to the Reuters COVID tracker.

There have been 300,914 cases in total and 4,020 coronavirus-related deaths so far.

• From September 1, vaccination will be mandatory to enter government and private sector establishments (including malls, restaurants and other business outlets), as well as venues hosting cultural, sports and group activities.
• From September 1, two-dose vaccination will be mandatory for people aged 18 years and above who wish to enter Oman through all land, sea and air borders, in addition to a PCR test before or upon arrival in the Sultanate. Those testing positive must undergo a 7-day quarantine and taken another PCR test on the eighth day.