Updates on curfew in Sri Lanka
MEASURES
- Apart from High Risk Zones (Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara, Puttalam, Kandy and Jaffna), the curfew will be lifted at 6.00am on 16 April and re-imposed at 4.00pm on the same day for the other districts.
- People shall only do essential trips and avoid unnecessary travelling during this period. The traditions and associations during the Sinhala and Tamil New Year shall only be limited to the members of the family.
- The government is working on the contact tracing as an effort to identify the suspected cases.
IMPACT ON FOOD SUPPLY CHAIN
- On 10 April, the services of the owners of all rice mills have been declared as essential services under the COVID-19 quarantine process. Rice mills owners must produce rice in the respective areas using paddy stock.
- During curfew hours, the government has put in place a mechanism to continuously supply essential food and other goods enabling the public to purchase them while at home.
- Due to the curfew and restriction of people movement from area to area, food processing companies are operating with limited manpower.
- The Minister of Health, specifically on Food Control and Administration Division is working on the Guidelines for workplace operation to support the resume of food companies’ operation when the curfew is being lifted.