Oman’s Supreme Committee tasked with tackling developments resulting from Covid-19 has decided to start giving people above the age of 18 a third dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, official sources have said.
The decision is said to have come at a meeting held on Sunday, December 12, under the chairmanship of Minister of Interior Sayyid Hamoud Faisal Al Busaidi.
The panel reportedly followed up Covid-19 developments, measures of protection against the disease, curbing of its spread, and addressing of its different impacts.
The committee is also said to have studied global updates about the virus and the propagation of its latest mutant, Omicron.
Epidemiological reports and analyses about the situation in Oman apparently point to a minor increase in positive cases, with hospitalizations and intensive-care cases maintaining low rates.
The reports are also said to show that 93 percent of the target population received at least one dose of Covid-19 vaccines.
To protect society against Covid-19 and other disease, the Supreme Committee decided to take two steps, said the official sources.
The first is to start administering a third dose of Covid-19 vaccine to people aged 18 years and above.
The Ministry of Health is expected to announce the target segments and the action plan set for the course.
The second step is apparently to apply a “unified mechanism” on dealing with unvaccinated employees and students who attempt to enter units of Oman’s administrative apparatus and other legal entities.
This is reportedly pursuant to the committee’s earlier decision on endorsing the principle of vaccination as a prerequisite for entering all government and private-sector establishments.
The mechanism would be circulated to all units, said the official sources.
The committee has underlined the importance of continue applying the decisions governing people’s entry to mosques and the organization of conferences and other group activities till further notice.
This includes allowing venues of sports activities and exhibitions to operate only within 50 percent of their capacities and allowing access only to people who have received two doses of vaccines approved in Oman — administered to those aged 18 and above — while sticking to physical distancing and wearing face masks properly.
