The Sri Lankan government has decided to further extend the quarantine curfew orders, currently enforced across the island, by another week.

Accordingly, the restrictions will be in effect until 4.00 a.m. on September 13 (Monday).

The decision to further extend the quarantine curfew was taken during the virtual meeting of the Special Committee on COVID-19 Control convened under the patronage of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa this morning (September 03).

Recommendations determine that progress will be made through the ongoing national inoculation drive in the interim to curb the recent spike in COVID-19 figures, Minister of Health Keheliya Rambukwella said in a tweet announcing the decision.

The minister urged the members of the public to adhere to health regulations and to use the locked-down period to get themselves vaccinated against the novel coronavirus.

A ten-day island-wide quarantine curfew was first imposed on August 20 in a bid to mitigate the spread of the virus and to ramp up the vaccination process. However, the Special Committee on COVID-19 Control last week decided to carry on the restrictions until next Monday (September 06).

#Lockdown will continue for another 7 day period till (13/09). Recommendations determine that progress will be made via the ongoing #VaccinationDrive in the interim to curb the current spike. Pl adhere to the regulations, use this time to #GetVaccinated, #StayHome & #WearAMask.

— Keheliya Rambukwella (@Keheliya_R) September 3, 2021