COLOMBO: The Sri Lankan government on Wednesday issued fresh guidelines restricting the movement of people even as businesses have started imposing a self-lockdown in view of the rising number of COVID-19 cases in the country.
As per the new guidelines, only one person from a household would be permitted to go out and purchase essentials while all shopping malls have been asked to shut.
These guidelines are to be in force until the end of August, the Director General Health Services Asela Gunawardena said.
Meanwhile, the health trade unions held protests to urge the government to order a total lockdown to arrest the third wave of coronavirus.
"We ask the government to lockdown the country for 10 days," said Ravi Kumudesh, a health trade unionist.
In several areas, businesses are imposing self-lockdowns.
Shops remain shut as the number of cases have seen a rapid increase.
The government has decided to purchase nine million doses of Sinopharm and 14 million doses of Pfizer vaccines, the Cabinet spokesman and minister Ramesh Pathirana told reporters.
He said that the aim was to vaccinate all above 18 by September 30.
According to the health ministry, over 2,400 new infections were recorded on Wednesday.
With 174 more fatalities, the death toll has crossed the 6,400-mark, the ministry added.