The lockdown enforced in a number of areas is to be reviewed and will likely be lifted, officials said.

The COVID Task Force is considering the possibility of relaxing restrictions imposed in some areas from next week by limiting it to only the specific areas where there are active coronavirus cases.

Head of the National Operations Centre for the Prevention of COVID-19 (NOCPC) Army Commander Lt. Gen Shavendra Silva told Colombo Gazette that the areas where local area lockdowns will be lifted, will be selected on the basis that they do not pose a threat for the spread of coronavirus.

He said that they are looking at the possibility of keeping certain areas identified as high risk areas, under lockdown or isolation, instead of an entire Police division.

Lockdown restrictions will then be lifted for areas not considered as posing a threat within Police areas under isolation.

The Army Commander said that the NOCPC is looking at two key aspects when reviewing the possibility to implement such a scheme.

Under the first aspect, all areas under lockdown or isolation will be reviewed continuously over the next few days until Monday (23).

The second aspect will focus attention on areas from which random coronavirus cases are being detected.

“Such areas will be reviewed to ascertain if they pose a risk for the spread of the coronavirus within the area, neighbourhood, and society,” he said.

Army Commander Shavendra Silva said that the NOCPC is set to review these key aspects over the next few days on a daily basis and a final decision will be reached before Monday.