New guidelines and opening hours have been brought into force by retail outlets including supermarkets across Sri Lanka as they battle to keep shelves stocked, get food and supplies to everyone who needs them and ensure the safety of customers and staff when the island-wide curfew imposed by the government is lifted at 6.00 am tomorrow (24).

The curfew imposed in Colombo, Gampaha, Puttalam and the 5 districts of the Northern Province will be lifted at 6 am tomorrow (24) and will be re-imposed at 12 noon and will be in effect until 6 am on Friday (March 27).

Meanwhile, the curfew on other districts, where it has been temporarily lifted, was resume at 2 pm today (23). The curfew in those areas will continue to be in effect until 6 am on Thursday (26) and will be re-imposed from 12.00 noon on the same day (26).

Updated opening hours of all major supermarkets as follows;

Cargills - 6.30 am – 12.00 noon

Keells   -  7.00 am – 12.00 noon ( 80 of their stores will be open to customers in areas where the curfew will be lifted on 24th March. The other stores will remain closed.)

Sathosa – 7.00 am – 12.00 noon

Arpico – 7.00 am – 11.00 pm ( Battaramulla , Negombo, Boralasgamuwa , Piliyandala Dehiwala , Nawinna, Gampaha * Thalawathugoda, Homagama * Wattala, Hyde Park Corner , Wattala 2, Kadawatha, Wellawatte, Kottawa ,Kiribathgoda, Malabe and Yakkala outlets will be opened)

Spar -  8.00 am – 12 .00 noon (Only the Thalawathugoda and Malabe stores will be open)

LAUGFS – 7.00 am – 12.00 noon.

Meanwhile, retailers are requesting shoppers to remain calm and not to engage in panic buying and follow the guidelines in order to remain protected.

Accordingly, customers are requested to cover their mouth and nose when entering the outlets with a mask, handkerchief, or a piece of cloth, maintain a distance of at least 1-2m among each other and use cards for the payment and minimize using cash.

Earlier,  The Central Bank issuing a statement encouraged the public to use online payment instruments for their day-to-day transactions and to withdraw cash at less-crowded ATMs of any bank.

Meanwhile, The Government also called on the public to keep the elderly at home as they remain the most vulnerable category. People who venture out shopping, banking or to engage in other tasks were encouraged to cleanse themselves meticulously upon returning home to ensure other household members remain protected.