Namibia: Government to ease COVID-19 restrictions from May 5 /update 3

Event

On Thursday, April 30, Namibian President Hage Geingob announced that the country will begin to gradually reopen from Tuesday, May 5, entering the second stage of lockdown measures introduced amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. In this stage, domestic travel between regions and within cities and towns will be allowed and several businesses will be allowed to reopen, including shopping malls, retail stores, restaurants, hair dressers, and barbers; these businesses will be subject to health and hygiene measures.

During stage 2 of the lockdown, which is expected to last through Monday, June 1, foreign nationals will remain banned from entering the country. Namibian citizens will be permitted to return to the country but will be subject to health screenings and a mandatory 14-day supervised quarantine. All individuals will be required to wear masks in public places.

Current lockdown measures restricting domestic travel and closing most nonessential businesses will remain in place through Monday, May 4. The purchase and sale of alcohol remains prohibited nationwide.

As of April 30, there have been 16 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the country, including eight recoveries. Further international spread of the disease is expected over the coming days and weeks.

Context

The first case of COVID-19 was reported on December 31 and the source of the outbreak has been linked to a wet market in Wuhan (Hubei province, China). Human-to-human and patient-to-medical staff transmission of the virus have been confirmed. Many of the associated fatalities have been due to pneumonia caused by the virus.

Cases of the virus have been confirmed in numerous countries and territories worldwide. Virus-screening and quarantining measures are being implemented at airports worldwide, as well as extensive travel restrictions. On March 11, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the global outbreak a pandemic.

Pneumonia symptoms include dry cough, chest pain, fever, and labored breathing. Pneumonia can be contagious and can be transmitted from human to human. The influenza virus, or the flu, is a common cause of viral pneumonia.

Advice

Measures adopted by local authorities evolve quickly and are usually effective immediately. Depending on the evolution of the outbreak in other countries, authorities are likely to modify, at very short notice, the list of countries whose travelers are subject to border control measures or entry restrictions upon their arrival to the territory in question. It is advised to postpone nonessential travel due to the risk that travelers may be refused entry or be subject to quarantine upon their arrival or during their stay.

To reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission, travelers are advised to abide by the following measures:

• Frequently clean hands by applying an alcohol-based hand rub or washing with soap and water.
• When coughing and sneezing, cover mouth and nose with a flexed elbow or tissue; if used, throw the tissue away immediately and wash hands.
• If experiencing a fever, cough, and difficulty breathing, seek medical care urgently and share your previous travel history with your health care provider.