Those breaking public health order can face jail time

March 28, 2020

 

The regional authorities have urged people returning to Myanmar to go into self-isolation for 14 days and, once they are home, to report to local authorities when they return and if they become sick.

Unfortunately, there are some people who have not been following the public health guidelines, though the authorities are enforcing these rules to keep the entire public safe.

In fact, the COVID-19 pandemic is also a natural disaster, and those who do not comply with the law can face fines and even prison time under Section-2 (b) of the National Disaster Management Law.

Union Minister for Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement Dr Win Myat Aye, who is also the chairman of the National Disaster Management Committee, has urged officials from the ministry’s departments in regions and states to work closely with regional administrative officials to conduct preventive measures against the spread of the Coronavirus and to deal with offenders who violate quarantine requirements.

To prevent the need to issue punishments, governmental employees are obliged to explain to returnees about the benefits of the quarantine, as well as about the duty of good citizens to follow the directives of the health authorities.

Next, they should explain the National Disaster Law to those who returned from neighbouring countries to ensure that they do not break the law.

Also, the health authorities have labeled the coronavirus an “epidemic or notifiable disease” under the Prevention and Control of Communicable Diseases Law. This means those who fail to disclose being sick with Coronavirus could face punishment.

The return of thousands of our migrant workers from Thailand has put our country at high risk for the spread of COVID-19 infection.

It is not a normal situation when thousands of people return from a country which is experiencing the Coronavirus infection. The returnees might carry the Coronavirus with them and could infect their own families first, then spread the infection to others.

The current situation, with thousands of returnees from Thailand, makes it challenging for enforcement on the ground.

To effectively stop the source of infection, we need to put in place aggressive, adequate and immediate measures.

GNLM