The capital city has been on and off COVID-19 lockdown since April this year. As Movendi International reported previously, the city implemented a temporary alcohol sales ban in April as well.
The latest temporary alcohol sales ban is part of government measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19. The restrictions on the capital city’s 14 districts prevent on- and off-premise alcohol sales as well as the opening of entertainment venues. The restrictions were extended till September 9, 2021.
Phnom Penh municipal governor Khuong Sreng urged authorities to take strict action against any businesses that do not adhere to these measures.
Since new cases and clusters were linked with alcohol-centric social contexts, the government has been implementing temporary bans to curb the virus spread.
Alcohol policy solutions play an important role in protecting citizen’s health. A ground-breaking new report illustrates the lethal interaction between alcohol industry products and practices with the coronavirus pandemic.
- Alcohol products increase health and societal problems arising from the pandemic. For example, alcohol weakens the immune system and makes people more susceptible to coronavirus infections. And alcohol-centric social contexts have often become COVID-19 super spreader events.
- Alcohol products increase the burden on healthcare and emergency services which are already stretched due to the pandemic.
- The alcohol industry exploits the pandemic to change alcohol laws to their benefit such as through weakening delivery and take away laws.
Reducing alcohol availability during COVID-19 is also in line with the World Health Organization’s recommendations.