MUSCAT : With Oman imposing a nationwide night lockdown, authorities have urged citizens and residents to not indulge in panic buying and avoid crowding shopping malls, supermarkets and grocery stores.
In the last two days, many supermarkets in Muscat witnessed unusually high numbers of shoppers causing alarm over lack of social distancing. Oman is seeing a steady surge in COVID-19 cases, forcing the Supreme Committee to implement stringent measures including imposing a night lockdown between 8pm to 5am until April 8.
Speaking to The Arabian Stories, a senior official at Ministry of Health urged people to avoid last minute rush. “Panic buying is always a concern. There are high chances of you catching the virus. People need to manage their time and plan for shopping accordingly instead of rushing in the last-minute. What’s the hurry?,” the official asked.
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On Monday, Oman registered 796 new COVID-19 cases, taking the total to 156,883. “Unless people themselves take care, nobody can stop this virus. We have seen that till January when the cases dropped significantly. To contain the spread of the virus is a collective effort. By crowding stores and other places, it will only make it worse,” the official added.
Meanwhile, the Royal Oman Police has urged the public to reach home on time to avoid the traffic congestion. “It’s always better to reach home ahead of time before the nigh lockdown so that you can avoid the traffic,” said Mohammed Al Hashmi, Director of Public Relations at ROP.
