By Our Reporter
The government has lifted the nationwide lockdown imposed since March 24 from Tuesday midnight.
The government has cited decreasing cases of COVID-19 for its decision to lift the lockdown 120 days after it was imposed. However, 150 new cases of coronavirus were discovered on Tuesday and 186 on Monday.
The official record of Nepal’s COVID-19 tally has reached 17,994 on Tuesday with 12,477 recoveries.
Moreover, the government which announced to conduct at 10,000 PCR tests a day from July 1, has been testing less than 4,000 a day.
On Tuesday, the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) Tuesday said that only 3,963 specimens were tested through PCR method across the country in the last 24 hours.
Thus, the government seems to have hurried to fully lift the lockdown when the risk of COVID-19 was still high.
The government has decided to end the nationwide lockdown from Tuesday night after the cases COVID-19 infected people in the country came down heavily,” Minister for Finance and Communication and Information Technology Dr Yuba Raj Khatiwada said Tuesday while making public the decisions of the Cabinet meeting.
The government has, however, given continuity to the restrictions imposed on cinema halls, party venues, public gathering, operation of schools, colleges, and universities, pubs, bars, saloons, beauty parlours, fitness centres, zoos, temples, libraries and museums.
The government has also given continuity to international border restriction order till August 16.
The Cabinet meeting held on Monday (July 20) also decided to end the two-shift operation of the offices. Now, all government offices will have to deliver their services from 10:00 to 5:00 pm daily.
The Cabinet meeting also decided to annul the odd and even number system imposed on private vehicles.
The government has, however, decided to operate medium and long route public vehicles only from August 17. Schools, colleges and universities were also permitted to call a new admission and enrollment from August 17. The schools, colleges and university, however, could not resume their regular classes until the government issues further notice.
The government has also allowed tourists to go to trekking and travel from August 17. The Cabinet meeting has also permitted to operate all types of hotels and restaurants from July 30.
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