ADDIS ABABA – After declaring State of Emergency to curb COVID- 19, Ethiopian government announced details of proclamation No. 3/2020.Accordingly, the enacted proclamation to counter and control the spread of COVID-19 and mitigate its impact, it prohibits meetings for religious, government, social or political purposes in places of worship, public institutions, hotels, meeting halls or any other place.
However, in circumstances where there are compelling reasons, the Ministerial Committee or sub committees to be established by the committee at federal, regional, municipal and Woreda levels many grant permissions for holding meetings.
It is prohibited for any person to shake hands with another as a greeting or for any other purpose. In addition, it is prohibited for any intercity public transport service provider to carry passengers greater than 50 percent of the seating capacity of the vehicle.
In relation to this, any inter-city transport service providers are not allowed to carry passengers greater than 50 percent of the seating capacity of the vehicle.
Not only are these, drivers of a private automobile also prohibited to carry passengers greater than 50 percent of the seating capacity of the vehicle excluding the driver.
The prohibition also bans the Addis Ababa light railway and Ethio- Djibouti railway respectively to carry passengers greater than 25 and 50 of the number of passengers they used to serve previously.
It is forbidden to visit any detainee in prisons or at a police station with an exception of suspects detained at police stations, without having any physical contact.
It is banned to serve alcohol or recreational services at night clubs and bars which also includes any kind of establishments that serve shisha and khat.
By the same token, providing entertainment services at cinemas, theatres or any such places where a large number of people attended is barred.
In addition, hotels, restaurants and cafes shall not provide services to more than three patrons at a single table within at least two adult strides apart.
The ban also incorporates entering into or exiting from the country or importing and exporting anything other than legal dry or liquid cargo through inland entry ports.
On the other hand, organizations are not prohibited by Proclamation No 1156/2019 to terminate employment contracts except in accordance with the protocol established by the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs.
Both public and private schools or educational institutions are banned to conduct classes face to face in schools or campuses or in any other place.
It is prohibited to play or provide facilities for others to play games where two or more persons participate in any public place. Furthermore, it is barred to engage in sport competitions or any group sport activities.
The announcement has also included duties imposed on every citizen and international passengers who are suspected of being COVID-19 positive and all shall be quarantined at a place designated for this purpose by the government and tested.
The international passenger entering to the country shall cover the cost of quarantine and the passenger will be quarantined at a place designated by the government for this purpose if he cannot pay for his quarantine.
Any person who has tested positive for Covide-19 shall have an obligation to stay in isolation facilities. A transport operator shall inform the head of the nearest entry port or to the Covid-19 screening team about any passenger suspected of being infected with Covid-19.
Any person should inform the police, the Ministry of Health or the nearest health officials of any person he suspects of being infected with Covid-19. The proclamation also incorporates various prohibitions and duties aimed at reducing the impacts of the pandemic.
The Ethiopian Herald April 14/2020
BY STAFF REPORTER
