Nation Issues Comprehensive Guideline to Prevent COVID-19

Addis Abeba  September October 6/2020 (ENA) Ethiopia has issued a detailed COVID-19 pandemic prevention guideline that incorporates wide ranging issues, including requirements for foreign travelers entering the country. 

The guideline was jointly prepared and issued by Ministry of Health and Ethiopian Public Health Institute yesterday. 

According to the guideline, any foreign traveler above the age of ten coming through international airports of the country needs to bring a certificate of negative RT PCR test from the country the traveler is coming from and done up to 120 hours or five days before arriving in Ethiopia.

After the traveler’s temperature and any COVID-19 symptoms have been checked at the airport’s health control desk, the traveler address will be registered and has a duty to self-quarantine at home for seven days.

Any person who is a corona virus positive is prohibited from entering the country, the guideline stated, adding that a diplomat with no certificate of negative RT PCR test has a duty to self-quarantine at home for 14 days.

While a person entering the country through land border cannot bring a certificate of negative RT PCR test done up to 120 hours or 5 days before arrival his/her temperature and COVID-19 symptoms will be checked at the checkpoints and if there are no symptoms, a person has a duty to self-quarantine at home for 14 days.

However, after checking temperature and symptoms of COVID-19, when the person shows symptoms of the disease he/she has a duty to go to one of the temporary isolation centers prepared by the government to obtain follow up in accordance with the COVID-19 medical manual prepared by the Ethiopian Public Health Institute.

Regarding returnees coming through international airports of the country, collaboration with Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall be made to bring a certificate of negative RT PCR test from the country they are coming and done from up to 120 hours or 5 days before arrival.

A returnee that does not bring certificate of negative RT PCR test from the country he/she comes and done up to 120 hours or 5 days before arrival has the duty to give sample of RT PCR test should have his address registered and self-quarantine at home until the result of the test is known.

The guideline, which has 10 parts and 31 articles, provides the particulars of prohibited activities and duties to be imposed on individuals and institutions to prevent and mitigate the impact of COVID-19 pandemic.

Many more other measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 pandemic during public holidays, conference, funeral, wedding, among others, are also included in the directive.