Officers remove barricades from a checkpoint in a restricted area of Phnom Penh. YOUSOS APDOULRASHIM
The government has issued a five-page set of instructions to be enforced when the three-week lockdown of Phnom Penh and adjacent Takmao town in Kandal province ends on May 6.
According to an announcement signed by Prime Minister Hun Sen on May 4, the instructions cover a wide range of measures including accelerating the vaccination campaign, re-designate zones as red, orange and yellow depending on transmission risks, and restricting travel in red and orange zones.
The instructions to authorities are to continue to strictly enforce health measures and require quarantine and testing for anyone entering their territory if they are suspected of carrying the disease. They must pay close attention to the people in the red zones, especially in helping to maintain good living conditions and ensuring an ample supply of food assistance.
The authorities must restrict or ban some businesses deemed as high risk such as entertainment clubs, resorts, gardens, cinemas, museums, sport centres and any businesses such as bars that have many people gathering and drinking alcohol.
There will still be a curfew imposed on non-essential travel from 8pm to 3am.
Municipal and provincial authorities were told to ensure public order at markets, food stores, cultural and religious events, sport programmes and entertainment. Markets that are not well organised or suspected to be high risk must be closed.
The Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training has to issue measures to be enforced for factories where workers have tested positive.
Ministry of Justice spokesperson Kim Santepheap said: “Although the lockdown of Phnom Penh and Takmao will be ended as stated in the government decision, Phnom Penh and Kandal governors can still enforce any health measures deemed necessary.”
“These are the administrative measures that municipal and provincial governors have the power to put in place for territory under their jurisdictions,” he said.
In preparation for the lifting of lockdown, Phnom Penh municipal governor Khuong Sreng led meetings on May 3 and May 4 to discuss post-lockdown plans, though no details were immediately available.
