Businesses reopen in Oman, but must follow rules.

Merge 104.8  |  30 April 2020

The Supreme Committee for dealing with Coronavirus (COVID-19) has issued new decisions pertaining to the reopening of some commercial activities in the Sultanate.

Additionally, Oman’s Supreme Committee for COVID-19 has announced a series of safety guidelines that commercial activities which have been allowed to re-open must follow to ensure the continued safety of their staff and customers and to minimize the spread of coronavirus:

The further statement issued outlines the following safety which must be adhered to:

1. Employees should not be moved between branches.

2. Appropriate personal protective methods must be provided for each employee.

3. Common devices and equipment such as mobile ATMs, phones, and tablets should be properly sterilized.

4. Employees and customers should be monitored on a daily basis for respiratory symptoms (body temperature, coughing, sneezing). Those who show symptoms will not be allowed inside the facility and will be sent to the nearest health institution.

5. If cases of COVID-19 infection are found among employees, or if employees have been in contact with a COVID-19-infected person, then they shall adhere to the isolation period, with suitable places provided for their isolation.

6. Increase cleaning efforts of workplaces and workers’ accommodations through the use of recommended cleaning agents for disinfection — especially for frequently contacted surfaces such as drawer handles, doors, tables, and buses.

7. Providing accommodations that are suitable for the number of workers, while ensuring a safe distance between them.

8. Urging employees and clients to comply with proper measures for hand-washing, avoid touching eyes, nose or mouth, avoid shaking hands, following proper healthy habits when sneezing or coughing, and avoid sharing personal protective equipment such as face-masks, helmets, or gloves.

9. Ensuring that there is proper ventilation in the shop or facility.

10. Making sure that there is safe distance of a minimum of two metres kept between employees and customers inside the shop or facility, or placing transparent barriers inside the facility.

11. Providing a record of clients morning and evening, including the time of their visit.

12. Minimizing human contact by activating electronic methods of operation and digital documents.

13. Activating appointment systems for clients and reducing the time of their stay in the shop or facility.

The new decisions include the opening of some commercial activities in the country, including: 

– Money exchanges

– Car workshops

– Fishing boat workshops

– Car accessory shops

– Accessories for fishing

– Electronic sales and electrical shops

– Electrical maintenance shops

– Offices for car rentals

– Offices of renting machinery equipment

– Stationery shops

– Sanad offices

– Printing and xerox shops

– Car repair workshops

– Tyre shops

– Quarries and crushers

Other than in two cases customers CANNOT enter the premises, the service being for receipt and delivery.

In car repair workshops and tyre shops, the Supreme Committee stated that no more than two customers must be present at their shops at any given time.

They have also asked for companies to practice their activities with the utmost caution while abiding by all health requirements directed by the concerned authorities.

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