REVIEW OF THE COVID-19 CONTAINMENT MEASURES

During the Sixth (6th) Extraordinary Session of the National and County Governments Summit held on the 4th of November, 2020; His Excellency the President announced a raft of containment measures to stem the spread of the novel Coronavirus Disease, as part of His Excellency’s Thirteenth [13th] Presidential Address on the Coronavirus.

The revised Containment measures, developed following consultations with the leadership of the County Governments, are set to lapse today Sunday, the 3rd January, 2021.

NOW THEREFORE, and following His Excellency’s consideration of the recommendations of both the National Security Advisory Committee and the National Emergency Response Committee, the Head of State has noted the following:

I.      That whereas our national positivity rate continues to decline, the Coronavirus pandemic remains a threat to our health and to our livelihoods;

II.    That over the last 24 hours 124 new Covid-19 cases were confirmed, out of a sample size of 2,855 tested.

The tests conducted so far now stand at 1,055,691;

III.  That whereas no Covid-19 fatalities were reported over the last twenty-four hours; 1,685 of our compatriots have thus far regrettably succumbed to the disease;

IV.   That in recognition of the State’s solemn duty to guarantee the safety and wellbeing of all children, as all learning institutions and schools fully re-open; and

V.     That aware of the possibilities of increased cases of transmission of the Covid-19 disease during this period.

REASONS WHEREFORE, and conscious of the compelling need for an enhanced public health environment to facilitate the re-opening of all schools, it is hereby notified that His Excellency the President has set his hand and seal to the requisite instruments and issued the following revised Containment Measures:

I.      That the nationwide curfew is extended up to 12th  March, 2021;

II.    That  the  nationwide curfew will continue to be enforced between 10.00 pm and 04.00 am daily;

III. 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;

IV.   That 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 /burials 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;

V.     That all overnight vigils or events of any kind shall remain prohibited;

VI.   That all isolation facilities in the Country shall 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;

VII.  That 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;

VIII. 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 natural flow of air;

IX.   That all Passengers in public and private vehicles must wear masks and maintain hand hygiene at all times while within the motor vehicle; and all public service vehicles shall observe a strict 60% maximum carrying capacity limit;

X.     That 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 of Education; schools experiencing water problems must ensure that there is adequate availability of hand sanitizers for both the students and the teachers;

XI.   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;

XII.  That   all  Teachers  and  Students shall wear appropriate facemasks when on the school premises or within school transport, in addition to strictly applying hand-hygiene and physical spacing;

XIII. 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;

XIV. That the Principal/Headteacher 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

XV.   That 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.

His Excellency the President reiterates that the success of our national endeavour to flatten the COVID-19 curve is dependent on individual and communal behaviour.

All Kenyans are reminded that the easing of containment measures is informed by epidemiological models and statistics that are the result of the extent to which individuals and communities adhere to COVID-19 preventative guidelines and protocols.

In that regard, the Head of State has urged all Kenyans to continue  observing the guidelines and  protocols issued by the Ministry of Health; which include the proper wearing of facemasks, 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.

JOSEPH K. KINYUA, EGH
HEAD OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE

Sunday, 3rd January, 2021

REVIEW OF THE COVID-19 CONTAINMENT MEASURES

During the Sixth (6th) Extraordinary Session of the National and County Governments Summit held on the 4th of November, 2020; His Excellency the President announced a raft of containment measures to stem the spread of the novel Coronavirus Disease, as part of His Excellency’s Thirteenth [13th] Presidential Address on the Coronavirus.

The revised Containment measures, developed following consultations with the leadership of the County Governments, are set to lapse today Sunday, the 3rd January, 2021.

NOW THEREFORE, and following His Excellency’s consideration of the recommendations of both the National Security Advisory Committee and the National Emergency Response Committee, the Head of State has noted the following:

I.      That whereas our national positivity rate continues to decline, the Coronavirus pandemic remains a threat to our health and to our livelihoods;

II.    That over the last 24 hours 124 new Covid-19 cases were confirmed, out of a sample size of 2,855 tested.

The tests conducted so far now stand at 1,055,691;

III.  That whereas no Covid-19 fatalities were reported over the last twenty-four hours; 1,685 of our compatriots have thus far regrettably succumbed to the disease;

IV.   That in recognition of the State’s solemn duty to guarantee the safety and wellbeing of all children, as all learning institutions and schools fully re-open; and

V.     That aware of the possibilities of increased cases of transmission of the Covid-19 disease during this period.

REASONS WHEREFORE, and conscious of the compelling need for an enhanced public health environment to facilitate the re-opening of all schools, it is hereby notified that His Excellency the President has set his hand and seal to the requisite instruments and issued the following revised Containment Measures:

I.      That the nationwide curfew is extended up to 12th  March, 2021;

II.    That  the  nationwide curfew will continue to be enforced between 10.00 pm and 04.00 am daily;

III. 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;

IV.   That 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 /burials 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;

V.     That all overnight vigils or events of any kind shall remain prohibited;

VI.   That all isolation facilities in the Country shall 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;

VII.  That 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;

VIII. 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 natural flow of air;

IX.   That all Passengers in public and private vehicles must wear masks and maintain hand hygiene at all times while within the motor vehicle; and all public service vehicles shall observe a strict 60% maximum carrying capacity limit;

X.     That 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 of Education; schools experiencing water problems must ensure that there is adequate availability of hand sanitizers for both the students and the teachers;

XI.   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;

XII.  That   all  Teachers  and  Students shall wear appropriate facemasks when on the school premises or within school transport, in addition to strictly applying hand-hygiene and physical spacing;

XIII. 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;

XIV. That the Principal/Headteacher 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

XV.   That 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.

His Excellency the President reiterates that the success of our national endeavour to flatten the COVID-19 curve is dependent on individual and communal behaviour.

All Kenyans are reminded that the easing of containment measures is informed by epidemiological models and statistics that are the result of the extent to which individuals and communities adhere to COVID-19 preventative guidelines and protocols.

In that regard, the Head of State has urged all Kenyans to continue  observing the guidelines and  protocols issued by the Ministry of Health; which include the proper wearing of facemasks, 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.

JOSEPH K. KINYUA, EGH
HEAD OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE

Sunday, 3rd January, 2021