Martin Endjala
President Hage Geingob has announced the removal of all Covid-19 restrictions.
The decision was based in the epidemiological down trend the country has been experiencing during the current cycle.
The country will be now moving away from containment of the pandemic into mitigation.
The President informed the 45th national Covid-19 briefing that a well detailed report assessment on mitigating the pandemic is currently being made ready to be tabled in the National Assembly.
The government, he said, will intensify its vaccination campaigns to fight any new variants.
The daily updates will also be discontinued, and limited to only once a week at the Government Information Centre, from where the Ministry of Health and Social Services will now be updating the public only on Thursdays.
Geingob further extended his gratitude to all Namibians in uniting in the fight against the pandemic, saying unity remains to be the only strength in making sure that the country reached the stage of
removing all Covid-19 restriction measures.
Geingob also admits the adverse effects the pandemic had on the country and cautioned citizens not to put their guard down as the virus is still among us.
Despite the removal of restrictions, the President encouraged a continuation of voluntary public health hygiene.
Minister Kalumbi Shangula said that shifting from response to recovery, it’s a commendable effort put in by all Namibians for adopting a culture of personal health hygiene and adherence.
Shangula thus called on Namibians to continue the culture given that the country is now moving away from containing the pandemic to mitigating.
He assured the public that the MOHSS will continue to keep an eagle’s eye on the pandemic across
the globe while monitoring also other viruses such as Monkey Pox and Scabies.
The Minister asserted that based on latest data, Namibia has not recorded any case of Monkey Pox nor detected it.
So far Namibia has recorded 169 400 Covid-19 cases, with 13 deaths recorded during this cycle, bringing the total deaths to 4016 since the proceeding 29 days. A decrease of 27.7 percent.
About 40 persons per day are hospitalized and only one per day are being admitted into the intensive care unit. 136 active cases have been recorded thus far as compared to 1936 in the previous cycle.
The ministry will further be strengthening specific components by adopting mechanisms to deal with the pandemic among other viruses at all borders nationwide, with a mandatory proof of vaccination at the point of entry required for all persons entering and leaving the country.
“I implore you to get vaccinated since the new reality requires us to do just that,’’ Shangula encouraged.
Only 24.7 of eligible groups have been vaccinated. The experience Namibia has in fighting pandemics is a sign that no pandemic lasts forever and that it is possible to achieve it.
