Africa-Press – Lesotho. Despite the government loosening grips a little on the ongoing Coronavirus spread prevention battle wherein, the “non-essential” service providing businesses like liquor stores were allowed to operate starting from yesterday,
the government has put in place quite strict and notable regulations in place. While awaiting the publishing of the new COVID-19 gazette, the National Emergency Command Centre (NECC) has shed some light on the dos and don’ts going forward.
Just like all other businesses, liquor stores will be allowed to operate from 0800hrs to 1600hrs only for 2 days a week – Monday and Thursday. Individuals will not be allowed to consume at the store/bar but will be expected to take alcohol home and the volume limit is 8 litres (case for beer bottles and cans). This is according to the Minister of Tourism, Environment and Culture, Chief Joang Molapo.
The 8 litre limit will apply on drinks below 10% alcohol content while for those above 10 to 20% will be allowed for 3 liters. Another category is of those with alcohol content above 20 to 45%. Those he said will be allowed for 1.5 litres. This he said will allow for social consumption and people won’t be able to gather in numbers and make parties. When alcohol was banned he stated that the response was positive from the security and health sector with alcohol influenced cases like crime and road accidents declining significantly therefore enabling these sectors to shift resources to the COVID-19 battle. Despite allowing alcohol to be sold and consumed this time, he said they are going to monitor its effects for the next two weeks wherein they will make a decision whether to ban it once more or loosen further.
Furthermore, he said during lockdown, alcohol businesses that were against regulations have legal action launched against them already.
More than 30 businesses and over 100 individuals were arrested. The same thing he said will apply following the publishing of the new gazette if individuals and businesses don’t abide. Even restaurants he said will be allowed to offer only takeaway services and no one will be allowed to sit down and eat. This is also meant to enforce social distancing. He urged all other businesses to abide by this rule.
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