MUSCAT: After more than 30 days, Oman’s Supreme Committee members is holding a press conference on Monday in the wake of rising coronavirus cases in the country.

The press conference will be led by Supreme Committee member His Excellency Dr Ahmed Al Saidi, Minister of Health, in the presence of Dr. Saif bin Salem Al-Abri, Director General of Disease Control and Control at the Ministry of Health, and Mr. Badr bin Saif Al Rawahi, Director of Infectious Disease Control.

Highlights from the press meet:

Minister of Health: A patient was admitted to the hospital yesterday. There are now a total of 11 patients at health institutions and 2 are in intensive care. The patient who died yesterday, had not been vaccinated

Minister of Health: We appreciate the continuous support of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik for the health sector.

Minister of Health: There is a doubling in the number of new infections and the epidemiological situation is still serious.

Minister of Health: There is a steady rise in cases, despite the stability of the number of infections in the past weeks.

Minister of Health: 4% of Omanis did not receive the first dose, 10% did not receive second dose.

Minister of Health: There were expectations of issuing decisions to close and tighten measures but the Supreme Committee rely on creating awareness. We don’t want to take decisions that might affect economy and social life.

Minister of Health: Employees will need vaccination certificate that proves that they have taken both the doses of COVID vaccine. The Ministry of Labour will issue a circular based on this.

Minister of Health: No direction yet to make third dose mandatory

Minister of Health: We have given more than 6 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine.

Minister of Health: The epidemiological situation is still serious and will put pressure on health institutions

Dr. Saif Al-Abri: Vaccination design is not intended to prevent infection. This does not mean that whoever receives the vaccine will not be infected with the virus. But having fortifications is a protective element.

Dr. Saif Al-Abri: Preventive measures such as wearing a mask, washing hands, and physical distancing protect against infection of mutant.

Dr Saif Al Abri: Number of inpatients are expected to increase in the coming period.

Badar Al Rawahi: Only 4% received third dose so far.

Dr Saif Al Abri: We conduct 4000 to 5000 Covid tests daily.

Minister of Health: The decisions of the Supreme Committee shall be valid until January 31, 2022 AD, if the situation does not change for the worse, but any decision issued may be changed in light of the local, regional and global epidemiological situation.

Minister of Health: If we want the next year to be better, we must all strive to preserve our health sector by taking precautionary measures.

Minister of Health: It is too early to talk about the fourth dose

Dr Saif Al Abri: 16 cases of Omicron cases recorded in Oman, there are more than 90 suspected cases

Minister of Health: The decisions of the Supreme Committee are based on developments, and there is no tendency to make the third or booster dose compulsory

Badar Al Rawahi: There are no studies that prove that the vaccine is related to sudden death or fainting.

Minister of Health: The decisions of the Supreme Committee look at all the data and are also based on the data of the local, regional and international epidemiological situation and not on predictions.

Dr Badr Al Rawahi: Studies have shown that receiving two doses of the Covid-19 vaccine gives immunity by 22% of the Omicron mutant, and receiving the booster dose increases this percentage.

Minister of Health: Forty-nine days have passed without any death recorded, but during the past two days, one death was recorded for an unvaccinated patient.

Dr. Saif bin Salem Al-Abri: ‎ Today, the positive test rate has risen to 1.7%, due to the registered cases.

Dr. Saif bin Salem Al-Abri: Now the flu season in the Sultanate of Oman, and we have always been monitoring these cases, and there is no increase in what is recorded now compared to previous years.

Minister of Health: The Supreme Committee is counting on citizens and residents to cooperate to protect our society from this epidemic.

Minister of Health: Whoever refuses to receive vaccination has the right to do so, but it is our duty as a government to protect society and public health. Enough of what the health sector and other sectors have suffered. The situation we went through is very painful, worse than the year 2020.

Dr Badr Al Rawahi: More than 230 thousand people have not received any dose of the Corona vaccine in the Sultanate of Oman so far.

Minister of Health: Movement facilities between the Sultanate of Oman and the United Arab Emirates are still continuing, and 14 day period for PCR is only for citizens.

Minister of Health: Preliminary indications tells that the severity of Omicron may be less dangerous, yet its fast prevalence will exhaust the health institutions if we don’t comply as required.

Minister of Health: I call everyone to take the booster dose, especially those who have chronic diseases, the elderly, workers in the health sector and sectors that deal with individuals directly.