Kenya will require people to show proof of coronavirus vaccination to enter many businesses, restaurants and government offices starting next month, a major policy shift that has prompted outrage in a country where less than 5 percent of the total population is fully vaccinated.
Mutahi
Kagwe, the cabinet secretary for health, said on Sunday that he was concerned
about a slowdown in vaccinations and hoped the new rules would persuade more
people to get their shots. With schools closing and the country heading into
the festive season, he said there were concerns that people would become
complacent about public health measures, including social distancing and
wearing masks.
The
new measure was swiftly criticized by the public and activists, who cautioned
against a stringent vaccine mandate just weeks after the lifting of a
longstanding nationwide night curfew that dampened economic activity.
Vaccination
campaigns in Kenya have been hampered by the lack of awareness campaigns or
widespread nationwide vaccination sites with authorities scrambling to access
or purchase the cold storage facilities needed to store the shots.
Beginning
Dec. 21, unvaccinated people will be denied access to visit government
agencies, including those providing immigration, tax, education and transport
services Mr. Kagwe said on Sunday.
The
new rules will also extend to those planning to visit hospitals, prisons,
eateries, bars, national parks and any business serving 50 or more people
daily. Drivers of public transportation, along with pilots and air hostesses,
will be expected to always carry proof of vaccination. In addition, visitors
from Europe will be required to be fully vaccinated to enter Kenya.
0 Comments