The Supreme Committee tasked with tackling the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has decided to ban arrivals from Egypt and Philippines into the sultanate.

A statement issued by the Supreme Committee said, ‘The committee has decided to ban arrivals from the Arab Republic of Egypt and the Republic of the Philippines and those coming from any other country if they passed through these two countries 14 days prior to their request to enter the sultanate.’

The ban will come into effect from 9am on Friday, May 7, and continue until further notice. The decision was taken, according to the committee, to protect communities from more exposure to the disease and to maintain the capability of the health system and enable health workers to keep the situation under control. 

‘Omani citizens, diplomats, health workers and their families are exempted from the decision and will be subject to the procedures adopted upon entering the sultanate,’ it stated.

The Supreme Committee has also extended the entry ban to the sultanate until further notice for those coming from Sudan, Lebanon, South Africa, Brazil, Nigeria, Tanzania, Ghana, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Ethiopia, United Kingdom, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and those who have passed through any of these countries 14 days prior to requesting entry into Oman.