Sierra Leone joins red-listed countries banned from entering the UK due to rising Covid cases

Covid-19

Delta variant

You will only be allowed entry if you are a British or Irish National or have residence rights in the UK.

British Government today announced that on Monday 19th July at 4 AM, Sierra Leone will be joining a long list of countries with a very high prevalence of Covid infections from which travelers are banned from entering England.

Meaning that if you are entering England from Sierra Leone, you will only be allowed entry if you are a British or Irish National or you have residence rights in the UK.

In which case, before you travel to England, you must take a COVID-19 test; book a quarantine hotel package including 2 COVID-19 tests, and complete a passenger locator form.

Your Covid test result should be provided as a printed document or an email or text message you can show on your phone.

If you do not present proof of a negative Covid test, you may not be able to board your flight to England from Freetown. And arriving in England without proof of a negative test, you may be fined £500.

You must provide the original test result notification. It must include the following information:

• your name, which should match the name on your travel documents

• your date of birth or age

• the result of the test

• the date the test sample was collected or received by the test provider

• the name of the test provider and their contact details

• confirmation of the device used for the test, or that the test was a PCR test

If the test result does not include the information, you may not be able to board your flight. And if you arrive in England without a test result including the above information, you might have to pay a £500 fine.

If your test result is positive, you must not travel. You must follow local rules and guidelines laid down by the government of Sierra Leone for positive coronavirus cases. If the result is inconclusive, you must take another test.

British nationals who need consular assistance should contact the British High Commission in Freetown.

Children aged ten and under do not need to take a test. If you are an adult, you do not need to take a test if you are traveling to the UK for urgent medical treatment or accompanying someone traveling for urgent medical treatment. And that it is not reasonably practical to obtain a negative COVID-19 test in the three days before departure; or have a medical condition which means you cannot take a test. You must present a note from a medical practitioner at check-in and to Border Force staff on arrival in England.

Providing false or deliberately misleading information when filling out your passenger locator form before traveling to England is an offense punishable by imprisonment.

You could be fined up to £10,000 or imprisoned for up to 10 years or; both. Or if you do not provide accurate details about the countries you visited the ten days before you arrived in the UK.

Before you travel to England, you must book a managed quarantine hotel where you will quarantine- The quarantine package must include a quarantined hotel, food and drink, quarantine transfers, and travel test package COVID-19 on day2 and day8 of quarantine.

You will need to book, and pay for, a Quarantine Package before you complete your passenger locator form and board your return journey to the UK. You will only be able to book this within the two weeks before arriving in the UK.

If you break the quarantine rules, you may face a penalty of up to £10,000.

The decision by the British government to downgrade Sierra Leone from its amber list to red list was expected, after over one thousand (1000) cases of Covid were recorded in just four weeks in June.

Although the number of people that have died remains relatively low at 102, there are fears this figure may be much higher.

Two weeks ago, the government of Sierra Leone announced new Covid restrictions across the country, including an 11 PM to 5 AM curfew and the closure of all places of worship – except for funerals.

The British government says it will keep its list under constant review. Meanwhile, it “advises against all but essential travel to Sierra Leone based on the current assessment of COVID-19 risks.”

Article by Abdul Rashid Thomas via Sierra Leone Telegraph

Guidelines: Arriving and Departing by Air

Sierra Leone

Post-COVID-19: Travel

Following the declaration made by His Excellency Brig. (Rtd.) Julius Maada Bio on the resumption of commercial flight operations on the 22nd of July 2020.

The Government of Sierra Leone and Ministry of Transport and Aviation, the Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Sierra Leone Civil Aviation Authority, Sierra Leone Airports Authority, and the National COVID-19 Emergency Response Centre (NaCOVERC). Publish the following safety and public health guidelines shall be strictly adhered to by all arriving and departing passengers to /from the Freetown International Airport - Lungi.

Arriving Passengers

1. All passengers shall produce a-negative Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) COVID-19 test result issued no longer than 72hrs before departure at the point of origin.

2. At the check-in desk at the airport of embarkation, passengers are required to display travelers’ authorization to Sierra Leone, received through the Government of Sierra Leone travel portal (www.travel.gov.sl). The travel authorization consists of:

   • Negative PCR COVID-19 test result issued no longer than 72 hours before departure

   • Pre-departure Public Health Passenger Locator Form

   • Proof of payment for COVID-19 testing on arrival paid through the online platform

3. Health officials will collect temperature, and a Basic health screening data and seat number on arrival.

4. All passengers subject to a mandatory COVID-19 test upon arrival:

   • Passengers will simultaneously have a PCR test swab and an RDT test on arrival

   • If the RDT screening is negative, passengers are allowed to depart from the airport and observe public health protocols mandatory, proper mask-wearing, hand washing, and physical distancing while awaiting their PCR test result

   • If the RDT screening if positive, passengers will be isolated at a hotel in Lungi while awaiting their PCR test result. Note: The cost of the accommodation at the hotel borne by the passenger

   • For all test results, the PCR result supersedes the RDT result

   • PCR results will be disseminated via the local contact number confirmed by the passenger on arrival

5. All children under 2-years shall be exempt from pre-departure and arrival PCR test requirements.

6. Airline crew are exempted from the pre-departure and arrival PCR test requirements and should follow airline policy for testing. The airline crew must adhere to public health protocols.

7. Two temperature screenings conducted by Port Health Services. If the temperature 37.5 degrees Celsius or above, the passenger' will be taken aside for further observation.

8. All passengers shall go through a walk-through disinfectant channel/Infrared temperature scanner at the entrance of the arrival hall.

9. All passengers with machine-readable passports shall go through the Immigration E-gate system. Passengers with Emergency Travel Certificates or non-machine-readable passports shall go through the Immigration booth.

10. At the Baggage Reclaim section, passengers shall maintain social distancing and observe all public health protocols, including proper use of face mask at all times.

11. All passengers will be directed to a Reception Lounge while awaiting their COVID-19 test.

12. Passengers with a negative RDT screening test, are cleared to proceed to their destination while awaiting their PCR result and adhering to public health protocols. PCR test results (available in no more than 48 hours) will be distributed via the contact confirmed on arrival.

13. If a passenger’s PCR test is positive, s/he will be contacted by public health authorities and taken to an appropriate treatment center.

14. Passengers sitting near a positive case on the plane will be considered primary contacts. Self-quarantine and monitoring by public health officials will be required.

15. All passengers strictly advised observing all public health protocols (proper and constant use of face mask, hand washing/sanitizing, social distancing) as directed by the Ministry of Health and Sanitation / NaCOVERC.

16. The same protocols shall apply to all VIP passengers.

Departing Passengers

1. All passengers are subject to a mandatory Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) COVID19 test with a negative result issued no longer than 72hrs before departure at the Freetown International Airport. Cost for the test borne by the passenger.

   • Passengers will use the Government of Sierra Leone Travel Portal to request their pre-departure test, to pay for the test, and to schedule sample collection

   • Passengers with negative PCR results will receive e-confirmation and certificates ahead of travel. Physical copies collected at the airport at a designated desk

   • Passengers with positive PCR results will not be permitted to travel and must follow public health protocols for isolation and contact tracing. They will be re-tested after seven days

   • Passengers who have entered Sierra Leone within five days shall be exempt from the mandatory additional test on departure

   • All children under 2-years shall be exempt from PCR test requirements

2. On arrival at the airport, passengers shall be directed to a reception area to avoid congestion and ensure social distancing during the check-in process.

3. All passengers are encouraged to complete their check-in online before arriving at the airport

4. All departing passengers shall go through the thermal screening/disinfectant channel at the airport’s departure entrance.

5. All departing passengers shall have their passport/traveling document verified before proceeding to the check-in counter.

6. Departing passengers shall proceed to the check-in counter for baggage drop and collection of their boarding pass. While at the check-in counter, they are mandated to produce their COVID-19 PCR negative test certificate or e-certificate issued within the past 72 hours.

7. Departing passengers shall proceed to the immigration services for onward travel authorization via the e-gate or immigration booth.

8. All departing passengers shall go through security screening before proceeding to the departure hall.

9. All departing passengers shall proceed to the waiting lounge where social distancing, proper use of face mask, and other health protocols shall be strictly observed.

10. All passengers shall proceed to the final screening and verification point prior to boarding the aircraft.

11. Boarding procedures shall be in accordance with the approved SOPs of the respective airlines.

12. All passengers are strictly advised to observe all public health protocols (proper use of face mask, hand washing/sanitizing, observe social distancing) as directed by the Ministry of Health and Sanitation / NaCOVERC.

13. The same protocols shall apply to all VIP passengers.

The Government of Sierra Leone and Ministry of Transport and Aviation, the Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Sierra Leone Civil Aviation Authority, Sierra Leone Airports Authority, and the National COVID-19 Emergency Response Centre (NaCOVERC). Publish the following safety and public health guidelines shall be strictly adhered to by all arriving and departing passengers to /from the Freetown International Airport - Lungi.

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African Development Bank COVID-19 Response

Moving from a commitment to action

By Benson Afful

The African Development Bank has responded swiftly to the needs of its member countries during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The Bank’s operations have continued to run smoothly since the first cases appeared in early March, despite the widening range of lockdowns and measures imposed by governments to flatten the curve.

The COVID-19 pandemic is forecast to cause Africa’s GDP to drop by between $22.1 billion and $88.3 billion. African country's experience of having fought off Ebola is working to adapt this new threat and looking to the Bank for an effective multilateral response to the crisis.

As of June 12, the Bank’s COVID-19 emergency packages have reached the continent’s five geographic regions.

West Africa

Before the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, West Africa was home to at least four of the continent’s fastest-growing economies, and it has felt the impact of the disease hard, as borders remain closed and economic and social distress deepens.

Gambia, Mali, and Niger will benefit from an ECOWAS support package to bolster national health systems in response to the pandemic. Much of the funds to this region will seek to address shortages in personal protective equipment (PPE), ventilators, and other emergency equipment. The support will also enable governments to provide shortfall cash to the millions of people who have been affected by mass layoffs or are unable to work because of lockdowns.

• Nigeria – 288.5 million euros

• Senegal – 88 million euros

• Côte d’Ivoire – 75 million euros

• Cabo Verde – 30 million euros

• ECOWAS – $22 million

North Africa

The North African region is the worst hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, with over 60,000 cases as of 12 June. The disease has already triggered a sharp drop in household incomes in North Africa, as export and tourism earnings suffer. The region will be assisted with a series of emergency operations to boost containment measures and help to ensure the supply and distribution of laboratory tests and reagents. The package will also support national and regional coordination mechanisms.

• Morocco – 264 million euros

• Tunisia – 180 million euros

• Egypt – $500,000

East Africa

East Africa, the continent’s fastest-growing region economically, has been simultaneously struck by the coronavirus outbreak and an infestation of desert locusts, a double whammy for the region’s farmers and economies.

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In a region of climate change and water scarcity, post-harvest losses and poorly developed agricultural markets could threaten the promise of economic reforms and investment.

Ethiopia, Kenya, and Rwanda are the top-performing countries, which have all seen a sharp fall in tourism revenue.

• Kenya – 188 million euros

Southern Africa

A decisive lockdown has been effective in stemming the spread of COVID-19 in the region’s economic powerhouse, South Africa. The spreading of the virus is by no means curtailed. Measures taken across the region to contain the pandemic have affected millions of people, many of whom work in the informal economy.

Assistance in this region comes in the form of preventive and protective measures.

• Mauritius – 188 million euros

• Zimbabwe – $13.7 million

Central Africa

In Central Africa, Cameroon has reported over 8,000 cases as of 12 June and significant community transmission. 

The package approved for this region, $13.5 million, will target the provision of PPEs, testing kits, and healthcare and laboratory facilities, for Chad, the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic, which is among the countries with the least number of ventilators on the continent. 

• CEMAC/RDC – $13.5 million

 Timeline of COVID-19 support:

The Bank’s rollout of emergency response support to assist African countries began in March and has provided a package of financial relief and preparedness and response assistance.

March 27: The Bank raised $3 billion from the Fight COVID-19 Social Bond, the Largest dollar-denominated social bond ever launched in international capital markets. Proceeds from the Bond, with a three-year maturity, will help alleviate the impact of the pandemic on livelihoods and Africa’s economies.

April 2: The Bank provided $2 million in emergency assistance to the World Health Organization (WHO) to bolster the capacity of member countries on infection prevention, testing, and case management. WHO Africa will also boost surveillance systems, procure and distribute laboratory test kits, and support coordination at national and regional levels.

April 8: The Bank announced a COVID-19 Response Facility that will provide up to $10 billion to African governments and the private sector to tackle the disease and mitigate the suffering that results from the economic downturn and job losses.

Every Month In Lockdown Costs Africa US$65.7bn—report

Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) estimated

By Benson Afful

The Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) estimated that a month of lockdown across Africa would cost the continent approximately 2.5 percent of its annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP), equivalent to about US$65.7bn per month.

Adding to the lower commodity prices and investment flows, in the commission report titled COVID-19: Lockdown Exit Strategies for Africa, issued May 7. Businesses surveyed by ECA on average operating at 43 percent capacity, between April 14-20, while large firms report operating at a slightly better capacity. The report cited the manufacturing, health, entertainment, utilities, transport, and trade sub-sectors to be operating at the lowest capacities.

Localized or national lockdowns were in place in at least 42 African countries as of 30 April. Thirty-eight of these lockdowns had already been in place for at least 21 days, it found.

Estimated fatality for COVID-19 varies widely due to differences in testing, reporting, and attribution across countries. As more data is collected, African countries can better ascertain the severity of population vulnerabilities, like tuberculosis or malnutrition, on COVID-19 mortality, the report added.

Some of the challenges faced by companies on the continent included a lack of operational cash flow as well as the reduction of opportunities to meet new customers.

Vera Songwe, Executive Secretary; ECA, at the UK-Africa Investment Summit 2020

Companies also stated that their businesses were closed, in addition to a decline in workers’ productivity from working at home.

During an online debate to launch the report, ECA’s Executive Secretary, Vera Songwe, said governments confronted with the challenge of appropriate exit strategies to COVID-19 lockdown measures.

She said any exit strategy needs to balance the preservation of lives while alleviating economic challenges and continuing to suppress the spread of the virus.

The government of Ghana, for instance, lifted a 21-day lockdown on April 20 and has subsidized electricity and water consumption for households and businesses for April to June at a cost of GH₵1.3bn. Also, it has made available GH₵600m to provide soft loans to small and medium-sized businesses.

The funds expected to fund 200,000 enterprises as part of the Coronavirus Alleviation Program (CAP).

Ghana Moves to Evacuate Stranded Citizens from the U.S

Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration

By Benson Afful

Ghanaians who traveled outside the country for various reasons and were due to return home from February 2020 who could not do so due to air travel restrictions of various countries following the rapid spread of the coronavirus pandemic have been calling for the government to evacuate them.

Ghana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, through the Consulate General in New York, is compiling a list of Ghanaians stranded in the United States as a result of the closures of the Ghana border for evacuation.

All affected Ghanaians in the tri-state area of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut are requested to register with the Mission by providing their information.

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President Akufo-Addo

President Akufo-Addo was by a new executive instrument, EI 66, extended the closure of Ghana’s borders by another two weeks. To ensure that the risk of importation of COVID-19 cases will remain curtailed while we focus on the enhanced tracing and testing program currently underway.

Ghanaians who traveled outside the country for various reasons and were due to return home from February 2020 who could not do so due to air travel restrictions of various countries following the rapid spread of the coronavirus pandemic have been calling for the government to evacuate them. The stranded Ghanaians and their families have been pleading with the government of Ghana to reopen the borders, so they return home.

Meanwhile, Ghana's Coronavirus cases have now hit over 4,000, the Ghana Health Services has said. According to the latest update on Friday, May 8, 2020, the country now recorded some 4,012 cases of the virus, with 323 recoveries. The death toll, however, remains at 18.

Over 921 cases have been recorded less than 48-hours and 1,293 cases, in 5 days.