Oman’s Minister of Health has defended a decision to implement a full lockdown during the upcoming Eid Al Adha celebrations as the sultanate continues to battle the ill-effects of the coronavirus crisis.
Speaking at the 25th press conference held by the Supreme Committee tasked with tackling developments resulting from the coronavirus pandemic since the outbreak, Dr Ahmed Mohammed al-Sa’eedi, said: “A lot of questions were raised about the total lockdown during the forthcoming Eid days as if members of the Supreme Committee do not comprehend the misery undergone by all and just wish to deprive people of celebrating the occasion.
“The objective is clear. Members of the Supreme Committee try their best to curb the spread of the pandemic and save people’s life.
“How can some celebrate Eid while others grapple with rising numbers of deaths? Somehow, all are affected by the lockdown, but festive seasons can be compensated for after the eradication of the pandemic.”
Dr Ahmed revealed that gatherings, which took place during the Eid Al Fitr holidays, caused a spike in infection and deaths across the country. As a result, there will be no Eid Al Adha prayers, no traditional pre-Eid souqs (habta) and no gatherings are allowed in all sites and governorates of the sultanate over the three-day period.
To date, a total of 3,200 applications have been submitted for emergency loans through the Authority for Small and Medium Enterprises Development.
It was revealed that vaccination rates in the country had reached 36 percent of target segments and, as of Wednesday, a total of 1.9 million vaccines had been received in the sultanate, said Dr Ahmed, adding PfizerbioNTech accounted for most doses received/administered.
There will be no vaccination campaigns during the Eid Al Adha holidays, with the immunisation drive set to resume immediately after Eid, “in an intensive manner”, according to a report by Oman News Agency.
Dr. Badr Saif al-Rawahi, director of Contagious Disease Control Department at the Health Ministry, said that two million people will be vaccinated in Oman after the Eid Al Adha holidays, accounting for 55 percent of the target proportion. The number of doses of vaccines in the sultanate is expected to reach three million during August and September 2021, he added.
“So far, we immunise about 40,000 people on a daily basis,” he said.
Meanwhile, Qais Mohammed al-Yousef, Minister of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion, and member of the Covid-19 Supreme Committee, said that an emergency loans programme will be available for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) through the Authority for Small and Medium Enterprises Development (ASMED).
To date a total of 3,200 applications have been submitted for loans, said the minister, revealing the target segments: Women, the self-employed, taxis, driving schools, most affected borrowers from Oman Development Bank and home-based businesses.
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