COLOMBO, Jun 22 (NNN-XINHUA) – Sri Lankan authorities yesterday temporarily lifted a nationwide travel restriction, imposed in May, to allow essential work of people.
Army Commander and Head of the National Operations Centre for the Prevention of COVID-19 Outbreak, Gen. Shavendra Silva, told Xinhua that, the country-wide travel restriction was lifted for three days from yesterday, to allow the public to leave their homes for essential work.
However, he said, only two people from every house were allowed to leave home, while private and state-owned companies were urged to operate on very minimum staff.
Silva said, Sri Lanka continued to report a very high number of COVID-19 patients and deaths, calling the public to behave responsibly, till the nationwide travel restriction is re-imposed again tomorrow night.
According to fresh guidelines issued by the Health Ministry on Sunday, supermarkets across Sri Lanka can function on a 25-percent capacity per time, while grocery stores will be allowed to take in only three people at one time.
Restaurants will remain closed for dine-in, while all public gatherings and weddings will continue to be suspended.
Sri Lanka will re-impose the nationwide travel restriction at 10:00 p.m. tomorrow and lift it again on Friday at 4:00 a.m. local time.
The country is presently facing a third wave of the COVID-19, with the new variants causing a rapid spread.
Since Apr, over 100,000 new patients have been detected from a new cluster, which has led to hospitals functioning on full capacity, health officials, said.– NNN-XINHUA
