22/03/2020
Ministry of health Liberia declared a National Health Emergency(NHE)
The Liberian Minister of Health declared a National Health Emergency on March 22, and issued a series of rules and regulations to combat the coronavirus pandemic. Please read them carefully at the Executive Mansion website: https://www.emansion.gov.lr/doc/COVID-19%20Declaration%20of%20National%20Health%20Emergency%20-%20MoH.pdf.
For those who are not able to read a PDF, we are also pasting the text of the Minister's Declaration below:
REPUBLIC OF LIBERIA
MINISTRY OF HEALTH
P.O. BOX 10-9009
1000 MONROVIA 10, LIBERIA
WEST AFRICA
Office of the Minister
COVID-19
DECLARATION OF NATIONAL HEALTH EMERGENCY
BY THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH
IN THE WAKE OF THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC AND IN AN EFFORT TO KEEP OUR NATION SAFE, THE MINISTER OF HEALTH HAS DECLARED A NATIONAL HEALTH EMERGENCY. IN KEEPING WITH THE TITLE 33, CHAPTER 14 OF THE LIBERIAN CODE OF LAWS REVISED, KNOWN AS THE PUBLIC HEALTH LAW, THE MINISTER OF HEALTH HAS DESIGNATED MONTSERRADO AND MARGIBI COUNTIES AS INFECTED AREAS, IN WHICH THE FOLLOWING RULES AND REGULATIONS WILL APPLY IMMEDIATELY AND REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR THE NEXT 21 DAYS:
1. ALL SCHOOLS (PUBLIC AND PRIVATE), UNIVERSITIES, COLLEGES, COMPUTER SCHOOLS AND OTHER INSTITUTIONS OF LEARNING ARE HEREBY ORDERED CLOSED.
2. ALL BARS, NIGHT CLUBS, CASINOS, BETTING CENTERS, CINEMAS, VIDEO CLUBS AND ENTERTAINMENT CENTERS ARE HEREBY ORDERED CLOSED. ALL BEACHES, BOTH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE, ARE HEREBY ORDERED CLOSED.
3. CHURCHES, MOSQUES, RELIGIOUS CENTERS AND OTHER PLACES OF WORKSHIP ARE HEREBY ORDERED CLOSED.
4. LARGE GATHERINGS TO INCLUDE SPORTING ACTIVITIES, PARTIES OF MORE THAN 10 PEOPLE ARE HEREBY ORDERED BANNED; WEDDINGS AND FUNERALS WILL BE ALLOWED WITH NO MORE THAN 10 PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE AND THEY SHOULD KEEP A DISTANCE OF SIX FEET APART FROM EACH OTHER AT ALL TIMES.
5. RESTAURANTS SHALL ONLY ALLOW FIVE CUSTOMERS AT A TIME, WITH ALL CUSTOMERS KEEPING A DISTANCE OF SIX FEET APART FROM EACH OTHER AT ALL TIMES. COOKSHOPS SHALL ONLY ALLOW FIVE CUSTOMERS AT A TIME, WITH ALL CUSTOMERS KEEPING A DISTANCE OF SIX FEET FROM EACH OTHER AT ALL TIMES. TAKE AWAYS ARE ENCOURAGED.
6. BARBER SHOPS AND BEAUTY SALONS ARE HEREBY ORDERED CLOSED. ALL PERSONS IN THE AFFECTED AREAS ARE TO USE THE COMFORT AND SAFETY OF THEIR HOMES TO PERFORM PERSONAL CARE SERVICES.
7. BANKS SHOULD ONLY ALLOW FIVE PEOPLE AT A TIME INTO SERVICE AREAS AND THOSE OUTSIDE THE BANK SHOULD KEEP A DISTANCE OF SIX FEET APART FROM EACH OTHER WHILE AWAITING SERVICE.
8. PUBLIC TRANSPORT: TAXIS SHOULD CARRY NO MORE THAN TWO PASSENGERS IN THE BACK AND ONE PASSENGER IN THE FRONT; KEHKEHS SHOULD CARRY ONLY TWO PASSENGERS IN THE BACK AND THE DRIVER ALONE IN THE FRONT; MOTORBIKES/PEMPEM SHOULD CARRY ONLY ONE PASSENGER.
9. EXCEPT FOR CARGO, CHARTERED AND SPECIAL FLIGHTS, ALL COMMERCIAL FLIGHTS ARE HEREBY ORDERED SUSPENDED AS OF MONDAY MARCH 23RD AT 11:59 PM. THE MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT AND THE LIBERIA CIVIL AVIATION AUTHORITY WILL ISSUE THE APPROPRIATE NOTICES HENCEFORTH.
10. ALL SUPERMARKETS AND LARGE STORES WILL ALLOW ONLY 10 CUSTOMERS AT A TIME, WHILE OBSERVING A SIX FEET DISTANCE APART FROM EACH OTHER AT ALL TIMES. THOSE OUTSDE SHALL REMAIN OUTSIDE AND STAND SIX FEET APART FROM EACH OTHER WHILE AWAITING THEIR TURN TO BE SERVED. ALL BUSINESSES ARE REQUIRED TO FIND INNOVATIVE WAYS OF PROMOTING SOCIAL DISTANCING.
11. ALL HEALTH FACILITIES AND HEALTH INSTITUTIONS, INCLUDING PHARMANCIES WILL REMAIN FOR ROUTINE SERVICES, WITH SOCIAL DISTANCING PRACTICES. ALL SAFETY RULES AND PROCEDURES AT HOSPITALS AND ALL FACILITIES SHALL BE STRICTLY ADHERED TO
12. MARKETS: THE INCIDENT MANAGEMENT TEAM WILL WORK ALONG WITH THE LIBERIA MARKETING ASSOCIATION TO IMPLEMENT THE REQUISITE PROTOCOLS FOR ALL MARKETS DURING THIS PERIOD. MEANWHILE ALL RESIDENTS AND MARKETEERS ARE REQUIRED TO PRACTICE SOCIAL DISTANCING.
13. RESTRICTIONS ON THE MOVEMENT OF PEOPLE IN AND OUT OF THE AFFECTED AREAS: ALL TRAVELS IN AND OUTSIDE OF THE MONTSERRADO AND MARGIBI AREAS ARE DISCOURAGED.
14. ABSOLUTELY, NO STREET SELLING BY BOTH ADULTS AND CHILDREN DURING THIS PERIOD.
15. MANDATORY HAND WASHING WITH SOAP AND CLEAN WATER IS HEREBY ORDERED AT HOMES AND ALL ESTABLISHMENTS, PUBLIC OR PRIVATE.
16. COMMUNITY DWELLERS ARE ASKED TO PLEASE REPORT PEOPLE WHO SHOW SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF THE CORONAVIRUS SUCH AS. (COUGHING, FEVER, AND DIFFICULTY BREATHING IN THEIR COMMUNITIES TO RELEVANT HEALTH AND SECURITY AUTHORITIES. PLEASE CALL (4455).
OFFICIAL INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION ON THE COVID-19 VIRUS SHALL ONLY BE ANNOUNCED BY THE MOH/NPHIL AND MICAT.
ALL CITIZENS, RESIDENTS AND VISITORS ARE REQUIRED TO ABIDE BY THESE RULES.
THE MINISTRY OF JUSTICE, AS HEAD OF THE JOINT SECURITY, SHALL ENFORCE THESE RULES WITHOUT PREJUDICE..
TOGETHER WE CAN KICK COVID-19 OUT OF LIBERIA.
GIVING UNDER MY HAND IN THE CITY OF MONROVIA ON THIS 21ST OF MARCH 2020
SIGNED:
WILHELMINA S. JALLAH, MD, MPH, CHES, FLCP, FWACP
MINISTER
