Rwanda has Partly Ripped off the Nationwide Lockdown, Authorizing Enterprises to Run from Monday, May 4th, 2020

By Abdul Rahman Bangura–

Photo Credit: WeeTracker

NEW AFRICA BUSINESS NEWS ( NABN ) Freetown, Sierra Leone- Rwanda had ordered a lockdown on March 22nd, 2020 to avoid the spread of COVID19, of which the decision was reached by a cabinet meeting chaired by President Paul Kagame on Thursday, April 30th, 2020.

The new measures will be reviewed after 15 days upon a health assessment, the Prime Minister’s Office announced Friday.

During the lockdown, the country had discouraged workout of people except for important duties such as healthcare, food shopping, and banking. Yet, from Monday, the country will enable unrestricted movement from 5 am to 8 pm. Citizens will require approval for movement beyond 8pm.

Nevertheless, meetings in common spaces and mass gatherings are forbidden.

“Public and private businesses will resume with essential staff while other employees continue working from home. Markets will open for essential vendors not exceeding 50% of registered traders. Manufacturing and construction sectors will open with essential workers,” the statement asserts.

“Hotels and restaurants will operate but close by 7pm. Individual sporting activity in open spaces is permitted, however, sports facilities shall remain closed. Public and private transport will resume in the same province. Bus operators will ensure passengers maintain social distancing and only passengers with masks will be allowed on board.”

Funeral gatherings will also not exceed thirty people, up from ten people entitled during the lockdown. Bars, churches, gyms and recreational centers will remain closed.

Regardless the easing of lockdown restrictions, schools will remain closed until September, and transportation between Kigali and other provinces is still not allowed. Rwanda’s borders will also remain closed except for transit and for returning citizens, who will be subjected to a fourteen-day unavoidable quarantine.

Rwanda is carrying out fresh tough cargo measures at its Rusumo Border in a way to prevent the spread of the virus, as the number of coronavirus cases spikes in Tanzania.

Owing to the current criteria trucks, and cargo are sanitized at the border and ceded to a Rwandan truck driver to drive them into mainland Rwanda.

The country on Thursday, April 30th, 2020 documented eighteenth fresh Novel Coronavirus cases; truck drivers and their contacts inclusive – bringing the total to 243, comprising 104 recoveries.

Rwanda has administered near to 30,000 tests and has started up mass testing and countrywide screening for COVID19.

Current Outbreak of Coronavirus (COVID-19) Disease- Coronavirus advisory information, World Health Organization & United States, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Coronaviruses (CoV) are a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV). A novel coronavirus (nCoV) is a new strain that has not been previously identified in humans.

Coronaviruses are zoonotic, meaning they are transmitted between animals and people.  Detailed investigations found that SARS-CoV was transmitted from civet cats to humans and MERS-CoV from dromedary camels to humans. Several known coronaviruses are circulating in animals that have not yet infected humans.

Common signs of infection include respiratory symptoms, fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties. In more severe cases, infection can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure and even death.

Standard recommendations to prevent infection spread include regular hand washing, covering mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing, thoroughly cooking meat and eggs. Avoid close contact with anyone showing symptoms of respiratory illness such as coughing and sneezing. Source- WHO

who.int/emergencies

Coronavirus Q&A, World Health Organization

who.int/news-room

Coronavirus condition overview, World Health Organization

who.int/health-topics

United States, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov