Kenya lifts mandatory wearing of facemasks in public places

Published: March 12,2022

By Halligan Agade

 

Kenya’s minister for health, Mutahi Kagwe. /Xinhua

Kenya has lifted the mandatory requirement of wearing facemasks in open public spaces as the coronavirus pandemic positivity rate dropped to 1 percent over the past month.

While making the announcement on Friday, Kenya’s health minister, Mutahi Kagwe, encouraged Kenyans to maintain social distancing and avoid crowding in public spaces to prevent the risk of the spread of the virus. He encouraged the use of facemasks in indoor places.

“There has been a lot of debate and discussions on the continued use of face masks as one of the containment measures. The mandatory wearing of face masks in open, public spaces is now lifted,” he said.

“It has been noted that majority of COVID-19 cases present themselves without fever. As such, the use of temperature screening in public spaces has little utility in current epidemiological scenarios. In this regard, therefore, the practice of temperature screening at public spaces can be stopped.”

Positive asymptomatic cases need not isolate but shall be observed for five days and return to work without the need for further testing. Kagwe stated that all quarantine of both the vaccinated and unvaccinated persons is to be stopped with immediate effect.

Kagwe also said the resumption of in-person worship at churches, mosques and other facilities would be allowed provided all congregants are vaccinated, adding that the interfaith council will advise wearing masks in the places of worship.

Sports fans will also be allowed back into sporting venues as long as they are vaccinated. The Ministry of Education will develop protocols to allow for the full resumption of sporting activities in learning institutions.

“All in-person indoor meetings to resume at full capacity of the venue as long as participants are vaccinated. All attendees should be encouraged to wear face masks,” Kagwe said.

Public Service Vehicles, trains, and domestic air freight services may resume at full capacity, but the operators and staff must be fully vaccinated while all travelers should have face masks at all times during travel.

“Travelers who are fully vaccinated shall forthwith be exempted from the requirements of a PCR test. Children below the age of 15 are exempted in any event from this requirement,” he said.

Xinhua