Observe the lockdown – we are ALL public protection.

A lockdown with tightened restrictions will come into effect from Tuesday, 24 March, and will remain in place until 12 April, unless otherwise announced. The ban applies to organised events where more than 20 people gather, and for all smaller gatherings, it is also necessary to ensure that people maintain a distance of over two metres from one another and that access to washing facilities and hand sanitiser is adequate.

Organised events that the ban covers include, for example:

• Conferences, seminars, meetings and similar events.
• Entertainment, such as concerts, theatre performances, film screenings, sporting events and private parties.
• Religious ceremonies of all kinds, such as for funerals, weddings, confirmations and other religious gatherings.
• Other comparable events with 20 or more individuals.

The council's swimming pools and museums will be closed from Tuesday 24 March, and the services of the customer service centre and service centres will be restricted. An overview of activities that will be prohibited from 24 March can be found at www.covid.is

Let's all take responsibility – we are ALL civil defence.

Workplaces, institutions, schools, nurseries and sports clubs have carefully organised arrangements for the coming days and weeks to comply with the Health Minister's instructions on restrictions on activities and gatherings. For example, all sports and youth activities involving the mixing of groups, proximity to others and physical contact have been suspended until the restrictions end. It is very important that the public works together to reduce the number of people in their social networks who meet outside of working hours. This also applies to children and young people and their time outside of school, so as not to undermine the measures that have been taken to reduce the risk of group infection.

A few points to bear in mind: 

• Schoolmates who are not in the same group for school activities should not be in close contact outside of school. This also applies to colleagues and family. The more time is spent outside of work and school, the greater the risk of transmission.
• Families should bear in mind that if children and young people mix a lot with friends or cousins from other schools or school groups, a link is created between groups that would otherwise be separate. Any such overlap should be avoided as much as possible.
• Families are encouraged to use technology to keep in touch with friends and loved ones, and especially those in high-risk groups for COVID-19 infection: older people and people with underlying health conditions.

On the web www.covid.is You can find answers to various questions about, for example, school provision and events.