"Use Relaxation of Travel Restrictions Responsibly & Help All Health Providers Fighting COVID-19" - Head NOCPCO

A special Media Conference, held this afternoon (24) at the Department of Information announced that restrictions on travel movements of the public currently in force will be extended until 7 June 2021 after relaxing those restrictions intermittently on Tuesday (25th May), Monday (31st May) and Friday (4th June).

"Those relaxations on all three days (25, 31 May & 4 June) are meant for the public to exclusively buy their most wanted provisions and essentials, such as food, vegetables, fish/meat, medicine, etc. Only one member from each family is allowed to go out and buy the essentials, thus assisting all stakeholders and health providers to control further spread of the epidemic. These decisions were taken by the Presidential Task Force during a special meeting HE the President chaired this morning (24)," so announced General Shavendra Silva, Head of the National Operation Centre for Prevention of COVID-19 Outbreak (NOCPCO), Chief of Defence Staff and Commander of the Army.

Accordingly, travel restrictions are lifted temporarily on Tuesday (25) at 4.00 am and re-imposed at 11.00 pm, the same evening. Only groceries, pharmacies, fish and meat stalls and bakeries are permitted to remain open. While all wine stores would remain completely closed, only one person from each house is permitted to go out. From 11.00 pm on Tuesday (25), all restrictions will come into effect as before and will continue till 31st May 4.00 am. After re-imposition is effected from 11.00 pm, the same evening (31), relaxation of restrictions would again take place only on 4 June 2021 at 4.00 am. Once restrictions come into effect the same evening on 4 June, it will continue until 4.00 am on 7th June 2021, General Shavendra Silva added,

He also urged the public to cooperate with these arrangements as they have done so far in the past couple of days and assist all engaged in the control of this pandemic. Ministers Johnston Fernando, Minister of Highways and Chief Government Whip, Prasanna Ranatunge, Minister of Tourism and DIG Ajith Rohana, Police Spokesman were also associated with the briefing. Here follows the full video footage:

Source: www.army.lk