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Govt. considers district basis relaxation of curfew from April 20
The Government will review the possibility of relaxing curfew hours in selected districts under strict guidelines from April 20 onwards, a senior official said.
Health Ministry Secretary Badhrani Jayawardena told the Sunday Times the review would be done in consultation with the COVID-19 Task Force and health officials. She said they would take into consideration the districts where there were no COVID-19 cases reported or there was no serious threat of the virus spreading.
Ms Jayawardena said the Monaragala, Hambantota and Anuradhapura districts were among districts which would be considered for a relaxation of the curfew.
Even after the curfew was relaxed in a district, strict guidelines would be introduced in the movement of the people while preventing the entry of persons from outside the district to ensure that no further threat was posed to the district, the secretary said. Only those providing essential services would be able to move between the districts.
Among the guidelines being considered is the introduction of a pass for only one member of a family so that the number of people entering city areas and markets could be limited.
Some of the health precautions such as maintaining a one meter distance in market places and providing facilities to wash hands will continue in these districts even if curfew hours are relaxed.
The objective of relaxing the curfew hours would be to get the state and private sector operational, she said.
Meanwhile the strict controls including the curfew in high risk districts are to remain unchanged for the time being.