COVID-19: Punjab Extends Lockdown By Two More Weeks

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has announced that the curfew in Punjab will be extended by two more weeks. The curfew was announced last month amid the coronavirus outbreak.

While the lockdown will now remain in force till May 17, a decision will be taken on its extension or removal depending on the situation two weeks later.

The CM said that every day, there will be a four-hour relaxation of the curfew -- from 7 am to 11 am -- when shops will open and industries will function. However, social distancing must be strictly followed at all times.

The containment and red zones will continue to be under complete lockdown, NDTV reported.

The CM had last week said that decisions on lifting the curfew after May 3 would be taken only after consulting a 20-member expert committee set up to formulate Punjab's lockdown exit strategy.

Reiterating that "his priority was saving lives of Punjabis", the CM had said, "Factories can be restarted but we can't get people back."

At a webinar with leading industrialists, economic experts, diplomats and ambassadors of various countries, he had said, "If the expert committee, which includes medical experts and doctors, recommends opening up of curfew, either partially or completely, we will do so."

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