NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 3- President Uhuru Kenyatta on Sunday extended the night curfew as a measure to contain COVID-19 infections in the country.
He said the nationwide curfew is extended up to March 12 and that it will continue to be enforced between 10pm and 4am daily.
He made the revelations in an executive order dated January 3.
“That whereas the general directions governing religious gatherings shall remain unchanged, any indoor religious gathering other than for the purpose of a wedding or funeral, shall be conducted in accordance with the guidelines issued by the Inter Faith Council and with all other applicable Ministry of Health guidelines and protocols remaining in force,” he said.
The president added all forms of public events and gatherings which may act as ‘super spreader’ events for COVID-19, including political and roadside gatherings/meetings, shall remain suspended for the next 60 days with the exception of funerals and weddings which shall only be conducted with prior approval and with the number of persons being capped at a maximum of 150 persons, and only if the particular venue can accommodate that number of persons while adhering to all applicable guidelines and protocols.
He added all overnight vigils or events of any kind shall remain prohibited.
The order added all isolation facilities in the country to continue to be maintained at a high state of preparedness through continuous capacity building of healthcare workers, provision of adequate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for healthcare workers, and the continuous implementation of Infection Prevention and
– Control Measures-
The president said the county governments shall enhance investment in piped and portable oxygen capacity in all isolation and critical care treatment facilities for the management of severe Covid-19 cases.
“That teachers and other staff who are aged 58 years or above, or who have pre-existing conditions, shall deliver on their duties through remote means or by holding their classes/lessons in open spaces with the natural flow of air,” reads the Executive order.
He said all passengers in public and private vehicles must always wear masks and maintain hand hygiene while within the motor vehicle and all public service vehicles shall observe a strict 60 percent maximum carrying capacity limit.
The president further said all schools shall ensure that they have adequate hand- washing stations corresponding to their student population, in line with the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health and the ministry Ministry of Education.
Schools experiencing water problems must ensure that there is adequate availability of hand sanitizers for both the students and the teachers.
“That all non-essential visits to schools by parents and guardians are prohibited and should only be allowed in exceptional circumstances – in fidelity with the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Education with all visitors to schools being registered in the school records and being subject to all infection prevention protocols,” the President directed.
He said all teachers and students shall wear appropriate face masks when on the school premises or within school transport, in addition to strictly applying hand-hygiene and physical spacing.
“That all extra-curricular activities such as sports, drama, music, and prize-giving days, involving more than one school remain prohibited for the next 90 days and all exchange visits between schools shall remain prohibited for the same period,” he said.
The heads of every school shall maintain a register of all sick pupils/students or teachers, and immediately inform the County Health Department of all instances of moderate to severe illness and the County Health Departments are directed to carry out routine surveillance for COVID-19 and other public health problems in all schools; including random sampling of pupils, teachers, and ancillary staff.”
The head of state urged all Kenyans “to continue observing the guidelines and protocols issued by the Ministry of Health; which include the proper wearing of face masks, physical and social distancing, regular washing of hands with soap and water or the frequent use of appropriate sanitizers, and the regular cleaning and disinfecting of frequently touched surfaces.”
The order was made public by the Head of Civil Service Joseph Kinyua.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr. Fred Matiang’i led his colleagues in a press conference on Sunday to state measures adopted ahead of schools reopening.
Education CS Prof George Magoha said the government will provide three million needy learners with masks as schools reopen Monday.
Transport CS James Macharia announced the doubling of inter-county trains on Monday to ease travel for learners.
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