The nation-wide lockdown imposed to control the spread of COVID-19 was extended for 11 days, running up to 18 May. As of Thursday, 101 people have been infected, of whom 22 have made full recoveries.
By Friday, the streets of main cities and highways saw more vehicular movement as businesses started to open. However, there appeared to be a lot of confusion among the public as well as enforcement agencies about what is now allowed and what is not.
Pressure had been mounting on the government to allow essential businesses to reopen in areas with no infections in the past four weeks. Here is a detailed list of what is now open for business:
Now permitted to operate:
Production, sales and distribution of medicinal equipment
Pharmacies, Ayurvedic and homeopathic services, agrovet and veterinary services
Rearing, sales and distribution of livestock, poultry and fishery
Production and distribution of industrial equipment
Production, storage, sales and distribution of fruits, vegetables and dairy products
Harvesting crops, planting
Nurseries growing plants and seeds
Production and storage of seeds, cold storage of seeds
Government and private health facilities, hospitals, nursing homes, polyclinics, diagnostic lab centers, vaccination and other essential medical services
Parliamentary Committee meetings
Basic banking services
Transportation linked to farming and agriculture products allowed during the lockdown. Photo: BIKRAM RAI
Transport services allowed:
Transport of agricultural products
Transportation linked to farming
Medical vehicles, ambulances
Transport of industrial equipment
Transport of industrial raw materials and manufactured products
Transport of educational supplies approved by Janak Educational Materials Centre
Vehicles of development projects
Water supply, gas and petroleum distribution
Transport from outside Kathmandu Valley can only carry the driver and one assistant
Transportation of construction material like rods, cement, sand