Courtesy Adaderana

The quarantine curfew currently in effect across the island has been extended until 4.00 a.m. on October 01 (Friday), the President’s Spokesman said. 

In a twitter message, he said that the decision was taken during the meeting of the Special Committee on COVID-19 Control chaired by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa this morning (17).

This was also confirmed by Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella, who tweeted that ‘conditional lockdown’ will continue until October 01.  

However, government essential services impacting the economy will be allowed to function, the minister said, adding that conditions are to be notified soon. 

The Health Minister also said that as per President Rajapaksa, he will be consulting with Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa to decide which government institutions will be kept open as essential services that contribute to the economy.

He urged the public to adhere to the health regulations and to use this time to get vaccinated. 

A ten-day island-wide quarantine curfew was initially imposed on August 20, however the restrictions were further extended on several occasions in a bid to mitigate the spread of the virus and to ramp up the vaccination process.