Rwanda: Health officials to impose amended nationwide COVID-19-related restrictions from Feb. 8 /update 16

Health officials in Rwanda will amend COVID-19-related restrictions from Feb. 8 and shorten curfew hours to 1900-0400.

Event

As part of ongoing efforts to reopen the economy amid the COVID-19 pandemic, health officials in Rwanda have extended previously imposed measures, including the lockdown in the city of Kigali, through at least Feb. 7. Additionally, the previously imposed nightly curfew will be shortened to 1900-0400 from Feb. 8. Once Kigali is out of lockdown, additional measures will be implemented in the city from Feb. 8, including the following:

Movements between Kigali and other provinces and districts of the country are not permitted, except for essential and tourism services. Vehicles transporting goods are exempted from the restriction while maintaining a maximum of two people on board.
Public offices to remain close except for those providing essential services.
Private business to resume with essential staff at no more than 30-percent capacity; market and malls will open for essential vendors and must not exceed 50 percent of registered traders. Businesses resuming operations must close by 1700.
All schools, including universities, will remain closed.
Public transport will resume operations at a maximum of 50-percent capacity.
All bars remain closed.
All physical meetings, events, and gatherings are prohibited.

Outside the capital, movement between districts has been banned. Tourists are allowed to leave the city and tourist activity will continue in adherence to hygiene guidelines. Schools will continue while respecting COVID-19 control measures.

International travel
International passengers arriving at Kigali International Airport (KGL) airport must present a negative COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test taken within 72 hours prior to departure. All arriving travelers must self-quarantine for seven days and take a PCR test at the end of this period. A similar test certificate is required upon departure from Rwanda.

Land borders remained closed except the border with DRC; the country's borders with Uganda, Burundi, and Tanzania are open for goods and cargo traffic, as well as returning Rwandan citizens and legal residents. However, travel restrictions may be subject to the guidelines of neighboring states. All returnees are subjected to mandatory quarantine in accordance with existing health guidelines at their own cost.

Rwandan authorities review the country's preventive measures every 15 days and could reimpose, extend, further ease, or otherwise amend any restrictions with little-to-no notice depending on disease activity over the coming weeks.