The Prime Minister’s Office on Oct 31 issued a notice stating that it is necessary to extend the lockdown measures through Nov 14 as the domestic infections of Covid-19 continue to rise and has been spreading to almost every province with more than 500 infections recorded nationwide every day, a rise of 27.6 % from last month.
The notice, effective between Oct 31-Nov 14, states that lockdown measures continue to be necessary to ensure Lao citizens and foreign residents living in Laos are protected from the deadly disease.
Entertainment venues, cinemas, spas, karaoke shops, bars, internet cafes, snooker parlours, casinos and game shops will continue to be closed along with massage and beauty parlours, barber shops, night markets, food gardens, and tourist sites.
Industrial factories and enterprises in areas with local transmissions of Covid-19 must be closed except those allowed by the Taskforce Committee, and those manufacturing consumer goods, medicines and medical equipment with the guidelines of the Taskforce Committee strictly observed.
Indoor and outdoor sports facilities and all sports activities and exercises at public parks are prohibited along with festive parties.
Hoarding and raising prices of consumer goods, medical equipment and other daily necessaries are banned.
Traffic in Vientiane and provinces with locally transmitted cases of Covid-19 is banned between 23:00 and 5:00 hours, except for the transport of goods, food, medical equipment, ambulances, fire trucks, rescue vehicles, and vehicles of Taskforce Committee and those allowed by the committee.
The notice bans teaching and learning activities of all levels in provinces, districts with local transmissions of Covid-19 except for schools that meet anti-Covid-19 prevention measures of the Taskforce Committee.
Meetings, gatherings, and activities with more than 50 participants including religious activities, traditional festivals, and wedding parties are banned. Necessary meetings and official receptions can be organized with prior permission from the national or provincial Taskforce Committees.
Civil servants and employees of enterprises in Vientiane and provinces are allowed to work at office or work from home on a rotary basis with risk groups and unvaccinated pregnant women allowed to work from home.
Tourist and visitor visas will not be issued to foreigners while diplomatic officials, employees of international organisations, experts, and investors with urgent reasons can enter the country only if they comply with all COVID-19 prevention measures.
Laos logged 685 new COVID-19 cases and three new fatalities on Oct 31, raising the total caseload to 40,271 including 65 deaths.
Source: Lao News Agency