Travel restrictions extended until 7 June

The Government yesterday decided to extend travel restrictions until 7 June but will relax restrictions on two days so the public can purchase essential food items and medicines.

Retail grocery stores, pharmacies, fish, meat and vegetable stalls, and bakeries will be permitted to operate today, as travel restrictions will be relaxed from 4:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Restrictions will also be relaxed during the same time on 31 May and 4 June.

All liquor stores will remain shut even on days when travel restrictions are relaxed. Mobile vendors will be permitted to operate when travel restrictions are in place.m A relaxation of travel restrictions does not mean a total lifting or removal of them, National Operations Centre for the Prevention of the COVID-19 Outbreak (NOCPCO) Head Gen. Shavendra Silva stressed.

He added that only one person per household will be permitted to leave the house. They cannot use a private vehicle and must visit the store closest to them.

“When relaxing travel restrictions, one person per household can visit the place closest to them to purchase groceries or medicines but they cannot visit other places. Doing so defeats the purpose of imposing travel restrictions for a number of days,” Gen. Silva said.

Surveillance will be carried out daily using drones by the Sri Lanka Air Force.

Medical experts and specialist organisations, including the Sri Lanka Medical Association (SLMA) and Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA), have raised concerns about travel restrictions that are relaxed every few days and have called for a 14-day lockdown in order to control the spread of COVID-19 in the country.

However, the NOCPCO Head defended the Government’s implementation of travel restrictions, saying collective decisions are made in consultation with experts and specialists. He added that discussions are held with all relevant persons, including SLMA President Dr. Padma Gunaratne and GMOA President Dr. Anuruddha Padeniya.