Government Ministers today presented amendments to the current lockdown restrictions as follows:
- Restaurants and takeaway establishments are to remain closed, and supermarkets open to sell essential goods.
- The new rules emphasise that the transport of alcohol is not allowed except where required for industries producing certain essential products such as hand sanitisers, disinfectants, soap etc.
- Essential goods will now include the hardware, components and supplies needed by trades people for emergency repairs at homes or for any project related to the provision of water, electricity or other essential service.
- Trades necessary for emergency automobile repairs has been declared essential and similarly the components required for automobile repairs to vehicles is now an essential good.
- In the same vein, trades necessary to render emergency repair work including locksmiths, glaziers, roof repairers, plumbers, electricians have been declared essential services.
- Children may be able to move between parents/guardians provided certain conditions are met (for example, each parent is able to provide evidence of the relationship by producing a birth certificate or certified copy thereof)
- A broader range of call centres may operate as an essential business by the addition of call centres necessary to provide debt restructuring for consumers of retailers and those providing access to short-term insurance policies
- Cargo from ports of entry no longer need to be sanitised or disinfected in order to be transported to their intended destination.
- Cargo currently at ports may be exported to decongest ports of entry.
- Mines are to be permitted to resume operations up to a level of 50% of normal production, subject to strict preventative health and transportation rules.
- All evictions from places of residence are prohibited, including informal residences and farm dwellings.
For a full list of the amendments, kindly click here.