20210113_COVID19_Proposed_Ammendments_to_Current_Regulation


20210113_COVID19_Proposed_Ammendments_to_Current_Regulation



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REPUBLIC OF NAMIBIA
MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES
AMENDMENTS OF PUBLIC HEALTH COVID 19 GENERAL REGULATIONS:
PUBLIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH ACT, 2015: DR KALUMBI SHANGULA,
MP, MINISTER OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES.
23RD COVID-19 PUBLIC BRIEFING
13 January 2021
WINDHOEK
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Hon Ministers
Senior Government Officials
Members of the Media
Fellow Namibians!
1. I extend to you and your families my best and heartfelt felicitations for the New Year. I
extend my profound thanks and acknowledgement to you for the support and cooperation
you extended to me and the entire team that is responsible for the prevention, control and
management of Covid-19 in Namibia. The challenges we faced during 2020 were
enormous but you were not never found wanting. We count on similar generosity in 2021.
2. As we are all aware, the measures that I announced on the 23 December 2020 to control
and prevent Covid-19 will lapse midnight tonight. As I will demonstrate to you, the
situation has even worsened than the time of the last announcement. It is therefore
imperative that we strengthen our response and consolidate on our achievements. I have
been mandated by His Excellency, The President to make further announcements, in terms
of the Public and Environmental Act of 2015, that would disrupt the transmission chain
of Covid-19 infection.
3. There is a continuing and rapid rise in COVID-19 confirmed cases in Namibia. Evidence
demonstrates that the second wave has now far exceeded and eclipsed the first wave.
Many state and private hospitals in Namibia have reached near full or full capacity and
some are unable to admit due to lack of space, especially in terms of intensive care beds
and facilities. The situation is affecting and has been experienced in most regions.
4. Together with the growing number of cases, healthcare workers are being infected and
have thus to be demobilized. Namibia has so far recorded a total number of 1 350
healthcare workers who have been infected with Covid-19, including six (6) of them who
lost their lives as a result. This is very worrisome as more staff are, and will be required
to manage COVID-19 patients and clients.
5. For the period between 26 October 2020 to 22 November 2020, the average COVID-19
positivity ratio in Namibia stood at 4.7%. This has increased 5-fold for the period from
28 December 2020 to 3 January 2021, where the positivity ratio rose to 24% on average.
During the past two weeks, a total of 6,402 newly confirmed cases out of 26,191 test
results were recorded. While it is not confirmed yet, there is a high level of suspicion that
the more transmissible and virulent variant of the coronavirus is now circulating in
Namibia. Our scientists are currently busy with genome sequencing of samples to
determine whether the new variant is present in Namibia.
6. The exponential rise in new cases indicates that there is active transmission of the virus in
the community, affecting all age groups. For high-risk population groups, the infection is
life-threatening. In order to control and suppress the further spread of COVID-19, there
is a need to implement more targeted public health measures under the Public and
Environmental Health Act of 2015. The measures should be implemented immediately
as many people are travelling across the country from their holidays to resume work and
school activities. Still more, there are those who are still enjoying themselves and

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participating in social gatherings, at events such as braais, parties, bars, night clubs, and
casinos around the country, without adhering to the preventive measures and health
protocols. Additionally, the risk of transmission may also be fueled by large events such
as the reopening of schools and institutions of higher learning.
7. The implementation of stricter public health measures is aimed at mitigating the spread of
COVID-19 in the community and stem the burden on our hospitals to ensure that the
provision of essential health services is not disrupted. Our response measures must of
necessity match the evolving epidemiological situation. After wider consultations and
taking into account both epidemiological and economic indicators, the following measures
are introduced. These measures shall take effect on the 13.01.2020 at 23:59 and shall
subsist for twenty-one (21) days until the 03.02.2020 at 24:00.
7.1. Public Gatherings
Public gatherings (social, religious, sports, entertainment, cultural) and any other form of
public gathering are maintained at the current maximum of fifty (50) persons for any such
event at any given time. Registers must be maintained at all public gatherings. Attendees
of public gathering must sanitise and maintain a distance of not less than 2 meters between
them. Public gatherings shall not exceed two (2) hours and shall not continue beyond
20:00.
7.2. Restriction of movement
A nation-wide restriction of movement is maintained from 21:00 to 04:00. A curfew
remains an important tool in limiting human interactions, thereby limiting transmission.
7.3. Sale of Alcohol
Sale of alcohol and trading hours operations for on-site consumption (shebeens, bars,
nightclubs, gambling houses, casinos and restaurants) is retained as per current
arrangements from 09:00-20:00 Mondays to Saturdays. No sale of alcohol is allowed on
Sundays and Public Holidays.
7.4. Compulsory correct wearing of face masks
Correct wearing of face masks continue to be a mandatory requirement in all public
settings, including in vehicles, aircraft and other means of public transport with increased
legal enforcement.
7.5. Saloons and beauty places and fitness centres
Saloons, beauty parlors, hairdressers, pools, spas, gyms, studios and fitness centres shall
practice public health measures. Both the service providers and the clients must wear
masks, sanitize and maintain the prescribed distance between them.
7.6. Restaurants, Cafes and Kapana Traders
All indoors and outdoor dining tables at restaurants must be positioned in such a manner
that they are separated by a distance of not less than two (2) meters.

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7.7. Passenger transport
Passengers in public transportation vehicles, including taxis and buses are allowed
maximum carrying capacity. Public health measures (wearing of masks, sanitizing) shall
be maintained throughout the voyage. Operators must plan the trip in such a way that
public transport arrives at the destination before 21:00.
7.8. Medical services
All non-urgent medical procedures shall be postponed. Visitations to hospitalised patients
is limited to not more than two (2) close relatives per visit. Visitation time is limited to
not more than ten (10) minutes per visit. All health services shall continue within the
prescriptions of these regulations.
7.9. Reopening of Schools for the 2021 School Year
Indefinite delays in re-opening of schools will have a detrimental effect on the learners.
After extensive consultations all schools shall open as per Table 1 below:
Table 1
Categories
Teachers
Learners
Pre-Primary to Grade 11
Advanced Subsidiary Learners
Original re-opening date
6 January 2021
11 January 2021
Pending results
New re-opening date
14 January 2021
26 January 2021
16 February 2021
7.10. Sports
All sports are allowed, but there shall be no spectators. The number of persons attending
a sports event shall not exceed 50.
7.11 International travel
All non-Namibian travelers must present a negative COVID-19 PCR test result that is
not older than 7 days (168) hours at Port of Entry. They will not be required to be
quarantined or to be subjected to another test including when exiting Namibia. The period
of 168 hours is reckoned from the time the sample was taken. Namibian citizen may enter
Namibia with or without any result. In the absence of any result, they will be subjected
to a 7-days quarantine and testing at own cost.
7.12.
Burial of Persons who succumb to COVID-19
The period within which the human remains of persons whose deaths are attributed to
COVID-19 is seven (7) days. Such burials are conducted by government officials in
conjunction with the families and in line with strict requirements for effective infection
control and prevention in order to reduce the risk of transmission of infection. Normal
rituals before, during and after the burial are not prohibited provided that there is no risk
of exposure to the attendees.

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8. Penalties
The Public and Environmental Health Act makes provision for stiff penalties in the event
of transgression of its provisions. The maximum penalty under this Act is N$100 000 or
10 years imprisonment. However, we appeal on the public to practice voluntary
compliance in order to make the imposition of penalties unnecessary. In the event of
breach of the regulations, the Police is empowered to issue summons for the offender to
appear in Court.
9. Protection for vulnerable persons
Vulnerable persons, i.e., persons above 60 years of age, persons with co-morbidities,
expectant women, and children below the age of 10 years, are advised to stay at home,
except for attending to essential requirements and for health purposes.
10.
10.1.
Vaccines against Covid-19
Namibia has made progress in preparation to acquire suitable COVID-19 vaccines. The
government has already paid an amount of N$29 272 320 (US$1 626 240) to acquire
vaccine doses enough to vaccine 20% (508 200 persons) of the population through the
COVAX Facility. The government has also signed a Financial Commitment Agreement
on the 5th November 2020 for the remaining US$9 096 780. The Facility has informed
us on the 6 January 2021 that it may be in a position to initiate a small scale “first wave”
of deliveries using the Pfizer vaccine as early as end of January or February.
10.2.
To achieve sufficient level of herd immunity, we need to achieve a coverage rate of 60-
80% of the population. Apart from the COVAX Facility, there have been engagements
with Pfizer on a bilateral basis, China, Russia, and other countries that are making great
progress in the manufacturing of COVID-19 vaccines for possible bilateral deals and or
donations.
10.3.
Additional resources need to be secured for acquisition of additional doses to vaccinate at
least up to 60% of the population in order to achieve a desirable level of herd immunity.
Therefore, we call upon the medical aid industry to support beneficiaries of their medical
aid scheme to access the vaccine. In the same vein, we will be engaging Cooperate
Namibia for support. I have to acknowledge the support to date, that cooperate Namibia
has provided during the course of the pandemic, and once again call for the support of all
peace-loving Namibians, our partners and friends, to join hands in ensuring access and
introduction of the vaccine. In coordination with the Ministry of Finance, the NAMFISA
and NAMAF, consultations have started to explore avenue to fund the vaccine. We will
provide additional details in coming days.
10.4.
The COVID-19 National Vaccine Taskforce is busy at work to put mechanisms and
logistics in place to roll out the vaccine. We will prioritize frontline Health Care Workers
and population groups vulnerable to severe COVID-19 disease once the vaccine become
available. Inventory of Cold chain equipment for storage and distribution of the vaccine
is almost complete, however additional equipment for vaccines that require extreme cold
temperatures maybe required. The Taskforce is also planning for Human resource and

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training to deliver the vaccine rapidly once it become available. The National Medicine
Regulatory Council (NMRC) is finalizing the framework approval of the WHO pre-
qualified and other vaccines once dossiers become available. Public education and
community engagement on correct and authentic information about the vaccines is
ongoing. The vaccine will save lives once it become available.
11.
11.1.
Concluding remarks
The past few weeks, especially starting from the second week of December 2020, Namibia
has witnessed greater numbers of infections, hospitalizations and deaths due to COVID-
19. Infections among health workers have also gone up tremendously. This has placed
increased pressure on our health system and facilities, both public and private. Without
radical change in the behavior of our people in order to stem the avalanche of COVID-19
infections in our country, Namibia may face unprecedented devastation by this pandemic.
Already, the pandemic has negatively impacted our way of life and it continues to do so.
On the economic front, the economy has been severely battered with massive losses of
jobs and closure of many businesses. The livelihoods of many of our people have been
literally destroyed. On the education front, the national school calendar has been disrupted
due to the closure of schools because of increased CVODI-19 infections. On the fiscal
front, we face a need for more resources to combat COVID-19 at a time when state
revenue is subdued due to the downturn in economic activities.
11.2.
This reality tells us that we are confronted with unprecedented challenges and difficulties
which demand united action and common purpose. Now more than ever, Namibians, all
of us, must heed the call for change in behavior as the only way to save our country from
devastation by the pandemic. Government recognizes and is committed to saving the lives
and livelihoods of our people. We are committed to ameliorating the suffering of our
people. However, ongoing efforts can only be successful if we all do our part to fight the
pandemic.
11.3.
It is vital for all, Namibians, especially the parents, community leaders, traditional
authorities, elected officials at local, constituency, regional and national levels to spread
the message of COVID-19 prevention at all times. It is our duty to do so and protect our
country. The Government of the Republic of Namibia will continue to do everything in
its power to ensure that the health of our people is secured and protected. In this regard,
we will spare no effort and will mobile the necessary resources, human and material to
ensure success. The measures announced here today are clear and will be enforced fully.
I thank you.
-END-