The Ministry of Health says it will ensure the supply of food, freight and fuel to various containment areas are not disrupted.

Permanent Secretary for Health, Dr James Fong says it is crucial to ensure that the three commodities are in good supply to maintain the lockdown.

“There is a delicate balance, if I don’t have these three commodities that we can’t maintain the lockdown. The lockdown gets broken by people in their search for these three commodities.”

Dr Fong highlighted they have drafted standard operating procedures for the cartage of essential goods.

He adds drivers delivering these goods between containment zones will not be allowed outside their trucks when they enter another containment area.

“Technically for us they have moved from their house and through low risk zones. They have stayed in the truck, they have wound up the window and technically for us it’s almost what we call a quarantine corridor that we have maintained. And they have kept themselves within that quarantine corridor. We have measures to check that they have not jumped out and of course the penalties are quite severer if they have jumped out.”

Dr Fong says drivers should, wear masks and regularly sanitise their hands adding that they may carry one passenger to assist with deliveries.

This passenger should also wear a mask and maintain physical distance as much as possible while unloading goods.