Nepal undergoes complete lockdown from 6 am starting Tuesday

A complete halt on the public movements! Nepalese Government seems to undertake no risk with COVID-19; therefore, the Nepalese Government takes up an emergency lockdown after identifying the second COVID-19 case today.

The lockdown comes in force from 2020, March 24, Tuesday, 6:00 am. In a bid to forestall the unpleasant outcome of the aggressive virus, the government prolongs the emergency shutdown till March 31, 2020. The rules are not applicable to health workers, and security personnel.

In a meeting of the COVID-19 Prevention and Control Coordination Committee led by Deputy Prime Minister Ishwar Pokharel, it concludes the lockout strategy on late Monday hours after the confirmation of the second COVID-19 case.

Health Minister, Bhanubhakta Dhakal, who is also a member of the high-level committee said,

“We have decided to go for a lockdown from 6 am Tuesday for a week,”

In an eight-point order released by the high-level committee meeting, public movements are restricted, except for the purchase of food essential and medical supplies. Likewise, public and private vehicle movements are forbidden.

All domestic flights have been suspended, except security forces. Private industries except the ones manufacturing medicine, food essentials, milk, the fuel must release their employee from regular works.

Anyone opposing the government order will be straightly booked under the Infectious Disease Act, 2020 BS with a fine of Rs.100 and imprisonment of one year.

Earlier, the cabinet meeting had decided to close all its entry points with China and India. And before that, the government had imposed travel restrictions on all the overseas and Nepalese travelers.

After, the rapid spread of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, the country had enforced emergency shut down, completely restricting the movements of 30 million people. The measure ultimately proved to be an effective one in preventing the spread of COVID-19.