Shops and malls, which were allowed to stay open until 7 pm earlier, can now operate until 8 pm.
“To prevent the spread of COVID-19 and alleviate the present situation, the authorities decided to impose curbs on public movement and overall work. These restrictions will be imposed from Aug 4 to Aug 31. Weekends are an exception to the rules,” it said.
“Health protocols including social distancing at the markets, shops and malls must be maintained. Shopping malls must have the provision of thermometer and handwashing or sanitiser at their entrance. Vehicles coming to the malls must be disinfected,” the government said.
“All shops and malls must be closed by 8 pm. People should be encouraged to use e-commerce sites for shopping.”
Earlier from Jul 1 to Aug 3, the government allowed the shops to remain open from 10 am to 7 pm. Prior to that, business hours were limited from 10 am to 4 pm.
The government imposed a lockdown on Mar 26, in a bid to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus.
The lockdown was lifted after 66 days and offices reopened on a limited scale on May 31.
