The Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA), yesterday, urged shop owners to stop the sale of cigarettes at least until the threat posed by COVID-19 was over.Secretary of the GMOA, Dr. Haritha Aluthge, issuing a media statement, commended the President for reversing the decision to open liquor stores."The decision taken by the Commissioner General of Excise to open bars was a mistake and we opposed that on Monday itself.

This was also a decision that was against our recommendations, to control the spread of COVID-19."He said the GMOA had opposed the sale of liquor, during COVID-19 crisis, due to four main reasons: intoxicated people will not maintain necessary distance from each other, several people gather to drink alcohol, which in turn disrupts physical distancing, police and other agencies have to deal with the issues that are created by intoxication. (RK)

-The Island-