By Mabinty M. Kamara
Ahead of the planned three-day lockdown, the head of the National Covid-19 Response Team, (Rtd) Brig. Kellie Hassan Conteh, has urged Sierra Leoneans to stay home.
His appeal comes in the wake of the confirmation of the second case of the coronavirus disease in the country.
Brig. Conteh, who is also the Minister of Defense, said movement within the country should be limited during the three days lockdown.
The lockdown is part of several new measures he announced at an emergency press briefing held on Wednesday at the Ministry of Information and Communication. Some of the other measures he announced include limiting burial procession to not more than 20 people. He also prohibited washing of dead bodies by family members. There are also restrictions on marriage ceremonies. But by far the most drastic move that Conteh announced was the lockdown of the whole country for 72 hours.
“We are building up our structures to ensure that these rules are enforced. The one key [issue] I raised yesterday was for people to stay home if you do not have anything to do outside. Leaving your home should be linked up with only essential movements,” he said, referring to an earlier statement he made at State House during another emergency press conference presided over by President Julius Maada Bio.
To cushion the possible effects of the lockdown and allow people to stock up, government on Thursday announced new pump prices. The price of fuel per liter was reduced by Le1, 500 from Le 8, 500 to Le 7000.
Transportation fares, as a result, have also been reduced to Le 1, 200, from Le1, 500 for most routes. Transport fares across all routes were reduced.
Health authorities in the country are currently tracking down primary and secondary contacts of both cases of the COVID-19 confirmed in the country so far.
On Wednesday, at a government press briefing, the Minister of Health and Sanitation, Dr Alpha Wurie, said contact tracing for the first case was at an advanced stage. He noted that 130 people had been traced, 43 of whom were primary contacts of the index case.
Contact tracing for the second case, who is known to be a medical doctor and a lecturer, is also in progress, Dr Wurie added.
Conteh, whose team, together with the ministry of Health is leading the contact tracing effort, said: “As we speak, the surveillance team is still monitoring those people. They are still on the exercise of expanding those contacts. So that will give you an idea that it is safer staying home now than being outside, especially in crowded places. It is safer to be alone than interact with people, but if you have to interact with people, minimize it as best as possible.”
Despite the prevailing grim circumstance in the country, Dr Wurie said the survival chance for covid-19 is high.
“If community transmission has started, then the rules and regulations have to be firmer. But I want you to feel gratified that for every 100 case that could be positive, 80 of those could be viewed as mild as scientifically proven. Fifteen would be what you call severe, whereas five would be deemed critical, for which you need to be under ventilator,” he said.
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