Minister and Head of the Prime Minister Office Khamjane Vongphosy signed on Friday a notice extending lockdown measures against Covid-19 for two more weeks beginning from Oct 16-30.
“We have to do our best to ensure balance and harmony between the three measures: healthcare action, administrative guidance and economic measures meaning that all the measures the government has imposed must ensure the anti-Covid-19 goal – both infections and deaths are minimized,” stated in the notice the minister.
To be implemented between Oct 16 and 30, the Notice No 1330/PMO urges relevant authorities to attach attention to vaccination of target groups with Covid-19 vaccines at a faster pace.
All border crossings continue to be closed for individuals except for those permitted by the National Taskforce Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control.
Entertainment venues, cinemas, spas, karaoke shops, bars, internet cafes, snooker parlours, casinos and game shops must 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 Taskfoce 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 22:00 and 05:00 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 and suspends the opening of academic year for all education levels and entrance examination for vocational, pedagogical, and tertiary education institutes.
Meetings, gatherings, and activities with more than 20 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 ordered to work at office or work from home on a rotary basis with risk groups and unvaccinated pregnant women allowed to work from home.
Wholesales and retails shops, supermarkets, minimarts, fresh markets, food markets are allowed to open provided that anti-Covid-19 measures including temperature testing, social distancing of 1 m, wearing masks, washing hands with gels or soaps are strictly observed. Entry and exit of the businesses must be arranged properly, and they must be closed by 20.00 hours.
Barbour shops, and beauty salons outside red zones can open provided that they are not crowded and both shop owners, their employees and customers must be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 and the shops must be closed by 19.00 hours.
Massage, beauty salons and barbershops in areas without local transmissions of Covid-19 can open provided that service providers and clients are fully vaccinated and the shops must be closed by 20.00 hours. Restaurants and cafes in areas without local infections can open only if the seats are arranged one metre apart. Sale of alcoholic drinks is prohibited.
Factories and enterprises in areas without local infections can operate on the condition that employees are fully vaccinated and reside in free-Covid-19 areas.
Source: Lao News Agency