Saturday
27th Apr 2024
Dhivehi Edition
Director General of Public Health, Maimoona Aboobakr. Photo: People's Majlis.
The Director General of the Health Protection Agency, Maimoona Abubakr has revealed the reason for closing down cafe'/restaurants during the night.
During the Parliamentary Economic Committee hearing, in which the leadership of HPA was asked to present themselves, Maimoona revealed that the restrictions were tightened because these places were categorized as high risk places of spreading the virus within the community. She further stated that, people do not practise social distancing and do not wear masks at such places.
" If we are to keep these places closed at all times, we have to go for a full lockdown. This is why we are placing restrictions based on people's movements, and we have determined that most people visit cafe'/restaurants during the night" said Director General of Public Health, Maimoona Abubakr
Some of the members present at the Economic Committee questioned whether the risk was only present during the night. Director General Maimoona replied that the risk of the virus spreading is always present, and that restrictions were tightened during the night because more people visited cafe'/restaurants during the night.
Maimoona also stated that HPA was working towards loosening the restrictions for the month of Ramadan. Adding on, she stated that they would be working to introduce guidelines that least interfered with the day to day activities of people.
With the arrival of a third wave of Covid19 in the Maldives, HPA had introduced a number of strict restrictions. Closing restaurants at 8pm being one of them. However, with the pressure of former President Nasheed, HPA has extended the closing times to 10:30pm. President Nasheed has also called to abolish all HPA guidelines.