Oman is planning to make vaccination against Covid-19 compulsory for government employees, the country's health minister said on Thursday as the sultanate struggled to bring down its infection rate.
“We will take legal action against workers in government institutions who refuse to take vaccination doses without a convincing medical reason. Private sector institutions may take the same approach,” Dr Ahmed Al Saeedi said during a weekly coronavirus meeting on the pandemic, broadcast live on Oman Television.
The decision is intended to contain the number of cases, the minister said, without specifying when it would take effect or what the penalties would be for not complying.
A spokesman for the national committee responsible for Covid-19 said that the government is considering suspension without pay as a punishment for workers and that it will encourage the private sector to adopt a similar policy.
“Those who are not working will be prevented from travelling, entering malls or dining in restaurants until they take their vaccinations,” he told The National. “When it will take effect and the rest of the details will be announced soon.”
There are about 191,000 Omanis in the civil service and about 256,000 Omanis are employed in the public sector.
Dr Al Saeedi said 1,226,293 of Oman's 4.6 million people have received at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine so far. He added that another seven million vaccine doses are expected to arrive in the country by the end of September.
The Ministry of Health on Thursday reported 1,453 new coronavirus cases and 15 deaths over the previous 24 hours.
The latest numbers take the average daily Covid-19 deaths and infections this week to 23 and 1,620, respectively, compared with 38 and 2,166 last week, based on a seven-day average.
Civil servants urged the government not to force them to be vaccinated.
“Vaccination should continue to be voluntary and not a forced decision. I urge the decision-makers not to take drastic action against civil servants to force them to be vaccinated against their will,” Mohammed Al Kharoosi, 48, a civil servant in Muscat, told The National.
Retired Omanis echoed the sentiment.
“This is not right, forcing us to be vaccinated,” said Faisal A Siyabi, a retired gas engineer. “We are already depressed and to prevent us from going into malls will have a catastrophic effect on most people. If lockdowns don’t work, then they should not punish people for it.”
Oman will extend its coronavirus lockdown by three hours each evening to prevent people gathering in large numbers before and during the Eid Al Adha holiday.
From July 16 to 31, people must remain at home and shops must close between 5pm and 4am.
Eid Al Adha is expected to start on either July 19 or July 20, depending on the sighting of the moon.
The current lockdown, which began on June 2, runs from 8pm to 4am.
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UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
THE SPECS
Engine: 3.5-litre supercharged V6
Power: 416hp at 7,000rpm
Torque: 410Nm at 3,500rpm
Transmission: 6-speed manual
Fuel consumption: 10.2 l/100km
Price: Dh375,000
On sale: now
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
APPLE IPAD MINI (A17 PRO)
Display: 21cm Liquid Retina Display, 2266 x 1488, 326ppi, 500 nits
Chip: Apple A17 Pro, 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
Storage: 128/256/512GB
Main camera: 12MP wide, f/1.8, digital zoom up to 5x, Smart HDR 4
Front camera: 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.4, Smart HDR 4, full-HD @ 25/30/60fps
Biometrics: Touch ID, Face ID
Colours: Blue, purple, space grey, starlight
In the box: iPad mini, USB-C cable, 20W USB-C power adapter
Price: From Dh2,099
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
Types of bank fraud
1) Phishing
Fraudsters send an unsolicited email that appears to be from a financial institution or online retailer. The hoax email requests that you provide sensitive information, often by clicking on to a link leading to a fake website.
2) Smishing
The SMS equivalent of phishing. Fraudsters falsify the telephone number through “text spoofing,” so that it appears to be a genuine text from the bank.
3) Vishing
The telephone equivalent of phishing and smishing. Fraudsters may pose as bank staff, police or government officials. They may persuade the consumer to transfer money or divulge personal information.
4) SIM swap
Fraudsters duplicate the SIM of your mobile number without your knowledge or authorisation, allowing them to conduct financial transactions with your bank.
5) Identity theft
Someone illegally obtains your confidential information, through various ways, such as theft of your wallet, bank and utility bill statements, computer intrusion and social networks.
6) Prize scams
Fraudsters claiming to be authorised representatives from well-known organisations (such as Etisalat, du, Dubai Shopping Festival, Expo2020, Lulu Hypermarket etc) contact victims to tell them they have won a cash prize and request them to share confidential banking details to transfer the prize money.
Visit Abu Dhabi culinary team's top Emirati restaurants in Abu Dhabi
Yadoo’s House Restaurant & Cafe
For the karak and Yoodo's house platter with includes eggs, balaleet, khamir and chebab bread.
Golden Dallah
For the cappuccino, luqaimat and aseeda.
Al Mrzab Restaurant
For the shrimp murabian and Kuwaiti options including Kuwaiti machboos with kebab and spicy sauce.
Al Derwaza
For the fish hubul, regag bread, biryani and special seafood soup.
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TICKETS
For tickets for the two-day Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) event, entitled Dubai Invasion 2019, on September 27 and 28 go to www.meraticket.com.
