Mayor of Vientiane Atsaphangthong Siphandone issued a notice today putting the capital under a strict two-week-long lockdown through Sep 30, 2021.
The notice, effective from Sep 19, orders residents in the capital city to stay in their homes except in necessary cases such as to buy food, medicines, or go to the hospital.
Travels to and from the following districts are prohibited: Chanthaboury, Sikhottabong, Xaysettha, Sisattanak, Xaythany, Hadxayfong and Naxaythong.
Passenger and goods transport from Vientiane to provinces and areas hit by Covid-19 or risky areas are banned except with permission from the central and Vientiane Taskforce Committees for Covid-19 Prevention and Control.
People in provinces with locally transmitted cases of Covid-19 are not allowed to enter Vientiane. In case the entry is necessary, they must be quarantined for 14 days.
Vientiane residents returning from provinces with community cases must be quarantined 14 days.
Meetings, gatherings and activities including religious ceremonies, traditional festivals, wedding parties, and festive parties are banned.
Funeral ceremonies and merit making ceremonies must comply strictly with the guidelines of the National Taskforce Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control including temperature screening, social distancing of at least 1 metre, wearing facemasks, washing hands with soaps and hand gels.
Karaoke bars, entertainment venues, casinos, internet cafes, games shops, movie theatres, snooker shops, massage shops, spas, barbershops, beauty parlours, shopping centres, night markets, food gardens, tourist sites, guesthouses, resorts, bars, grills shops selling alcoholic drinks are ordered to close. Informal street business activities such as lottery and food selling, etc,. are prohibited.
Outdoor exercises are also banned. Indoor sport centres including gyms, golf courts, swimming pools, cock fighting rings must be closed and contact sports are prohibited.
Garment factories and other factories, and major projects are to be closed.
Hoarding of goods and raising the prices of goods especially those necessary for Covid-19 prevention efforts including facemasks, hand gels, medicines, medical equipment, rice, drinking water, etc., are prohibited.
Violators of this notice will face fine penalty of 3 million kip (for individual) and 10 million kip (for legal entity).
Source: Lao News Agency