Namibia has lifted the COVID-19 imposed curfew and further relaxed a barrage of restrictions brought about by the pandemic as transmissions have fallen, President Hage Geingob announced on Friday.
This is effective from Saturday (16 October 2021) and will last until 15 November 2021.
Bars, casinos and restaurants will be allowed to operate at half capacity, while liquor trading hours are entirely dependent on the given entity’s license.
The sale of alcohol on Sundays and public holidays remains prohibited.
Attendance for sports events and other public gatherings is curbed at 200 persons, while COVID-19 burials are to be attended by 200 mourners only, excluding officials, Geingob further announced.
“We are in this together,” he said.
But for the Head of State, the fight is far from over.
“Although the war against COVID-19 is not yet over, we are making inroads and steering our ship ever closer towards the shores of recovery… through resolve, determination and the will to survive, we have continued to withstand the heavyweight brought on us by this invisible enemy. Our limits have been tested. We have bent, but we are not broken,” he said in a sombre tone.
Geingob said he does not want to revive the curfew, which despite having curbed the spread of the virus, has had devastating effects on economic activities.
At the last COVID-19 public update, the curfew was moved to 23h00 until 04h00.
“Don’t let me come back here to declare [another] curfew,” was Geingob’s message to Namibians.
However, for life to return to normalcy, there is only one route: vaccination.
Namibia is making progress in that regard, the president said.
At present, vaccination coverage stands at 19.5 per cent of the total population for those who have received their first dose, while 15 per cent of the population was by Friday fully vaccinated.
“I implore all eligible Namibians to come forward and get vaccinated. We have a collective responsibility to ensure that all Namibians are safe from the spread of COVID-19. Thus, getting vaccinated is our responsibility to ensure the safety and preservation not only of Namibia’s citizens, but humanity at large,” Geingob pleaded.
Source: The Namibian Press Agency
