The government has outlined a mechanism and procedures for providing social assistance to poor families in Phnom Penh and Takmao town that are being placed under lockdown and households across the country whose member either died from Covid-19 or tested positive.

The assistance mechanism only applies to those who have been severely affected and whose cases are linked to the February 20 community outbreak, according to a decision signed on April 17 by Minister of Economy and Finance Aun Pornmoniroth, who is also head of the National Social Protection Council.

For residents of Phnom Penh and Takmao town, they are eligible if they hold equity card or if their household member works in a high-risk profession; workers in the informal economy; ordinary vendors; and those identified by the local authority as being poor and affected by the disease.

Each family that is covered by the scheme will receive a single financial assistance of 160,000 riel (around $40) if one member is affected. If two or three household members are affected, then the family will receive 200,000 riel. And if a family has at least four members, 240,000 riel will be provided.

Each family will also receive one-off food aid consisting of 25kg rice, a case of instance noodle, six bottles of fish souse and six bottles of soy souse.

However, the scheme does not cover the family holding equity card and that has already received government assistance through it's cash transfer programme for IDPoor families, according to the decision.