South Sudan toughens restrictive measures as COVID-19 cases surge
South Sudan has toughened restrictive measures amid an unprecedented surge in COVID-19 cases, the Chairman of the National Task-Force on COVID-19, Hussein Abdelbaggi, announced on Wednesday.
“Due to the recent surge in COVID-19 Pandemic in the Country and around the globe, and as precautionary measures for all public and private sectors, the National Taskforce on COVID-19 is hereby putting in place the following Measures:
• 1) Ban of all social gatherings such as sporting events, religious events including Sunday Church Prayers, “Salat Al Juma” -Mosque Prayers, funerals, weddings ceremonies and political events;
• 2) Closure of all pre-schools, schools, Universities and all other institutions of learning except elasses scheduled for examinations with observations of striet protective measures;
• 3) Both private and public sectors to make provision to allow the non- essential staff to stay home on a paid leave or alternate their staff in shifts;
• 4) Closure of all businesses, which attract crowds such as; shisha stalls, bars, nightclubs, day parties, betting, cards and dominos. Meanwhile, Restaurants and tea places must strictly adhere to Covid-19 measures otherwise, failure to do so they can be closed;
• 5) Limiting bus and taxi passenger load to half capacity, restricting Raksha to two passengers and Bodaboda to cargo transport of strictly one person as long as there is a mask;
• 6) All the incoming passengers flights must have COVID-19 free test certificates;
• 7) Council of Ministers shall conduct only extra ordinary meetings with strict protective measures;
• 8) Strict mandatory wearing of facemask, strict social distancing and avoid handshake;
• 9) Airports and flights country wide shall observe strict adherence to COVID-19 measures;
• 10) All the Uniformed forces must strictly follow COVID-19 measures and finally, the National Taskforce instructs the law enforcement Agencies to take immediate action to impose the order as of today, 3rd February, 2021;
• 11) These measures shall last for a period of one month from the 3rd of February to 3rd of March, 2021 but subject to review.”
• 12) The National Taskforce on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic remains seized of the situation.
Signed By:
H.E. Hussein Abdelbagi Akol Vice President of the Repnblic of South Sudan and Chairman of the National Taskforce on COVID-19