By Lydia Kedir –Legal Assistance – at Dagnachew and Mahlet Law Office
Address: Addis Ababa, Email senilidu@gmail.com
Ethiopian Public Health Institute announced a new revised Directive No 803/2021. The Directive aims to provide for the prevention and control of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Directive is effective from August 19 2021. In the Directive provisions on activities that are prohibited and duties imposed are listed in detail. For instance it is prohibited for any person to shake hands with another person in the form of greetings. Wearing a mask to get public and private service and a distance of two adult strides are emphasized. Face to face education for public or private educational institutions are restricted and should be conducted by adhering to the requirements of the Directive. Public and private organizations including construction projects have a duty to provide sanitary materials and employers should make sure their employees wear masks.
Any passengers known to be infected with corona-virus are prohibited from entering the country, mixing with the general public or meeting with people in any way that may spread the virus. As a result, any international traveler except transistors, above the age of 10, who are coming through international airports of the country shall bring a certificate of negative RT PCR test done up to 120 hours or five days before arriving in Ethiopia. Passengers may not isolate himself for seven days if he has a certificate for recovery from COVID 19 within 90 days or if he has completed the COVID 19 vaccine in full and provide evidence. Passenger who comes into the country to attend a conference for an emergency or tourist, or a diplomat shall not be required to isolate himself for seven days when he is tested for COVID 19 (PCR or Antigen-based RDT test) and when the result is negative. An International traveler arriving at Bole International Airport who shows any symptoms of Covid- 19, will be monitored in accordance with the protocol enacted by Ethiopian Public Health Institute.
The Directive repealed the previous Directive No 30/2020 and incorporated revised and amended duties and prohibitions for the prevention and control of the Covid 19 pandemic. For detailed reading click the link for the full text of the Directive.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XrjFChsfIIu7YQb3wx2hSJMWaMBjm96msNTc6XEXa0/edit?usp=sharing
