Total lockdown phase 1 kicks off today

KUALA LUMPUR: Beware! If you are going out to shop for daily necessities today, make sure that your destination is not more than 10 kilometres from your house or else, you will be directed to turn back.

This is one of the rulings imposed during the first phase of the 14-day total lockdown from today until June 14, as a measure to flatten the COVID-19 curve following a sharp rise in the daily number of cases since early April.

As announced by the government on Sunday, during the lockdown, all social activities are not allowed and only a few essential economic activities can resume.

In addition to travelling within the 10 km radius or the nearest available service from your home, the capacity of private vehicles will be limited to two people from the same household while for medical purposes, the maximum capacity allowed is only three people including the patient.

With the exception of emergency cases such as deaths or visiting ailing immediate family members, the ban on inter-district and interstate travel remains, and the ban also applies to long-distance married couples.

During the lockdown period, 80 per cent of government staff and 60 per cent of private sector workers are to work from home and a one-stop centre coordinated by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI), has been established to issue work permits for essential services during the total lockdown.

However, the public need not fear as restaurants; food stalls and outlets; laundry services (including self-service laudromats ); pet care and food stores; eyewear and optical goods stores; hardware stores; automobile repair and spare part shops; e-commerce (all product categories) as well as wholesale and distribution (for essential products only) are allowed to operate.

Those travelling to get the COVID-19 vaccination do not require a police permit as they just need to show their appointment details on the MySejahtera application.

So, do your part, stay home and if you do have to leave your house as a daily routine or to attend to urgent matters, do adhere to the standard operating procedures (SOP) set. To take care of others, take care of yourself!

-- BERNAMA