01 February, 2021 (232News)
FREETOWN – Sierra Leone started a partial lockdown restricting human and vehicular movement from the Western area on Monday 25th January. The restrictions included:
(1) Curfew from 10PM to 5AM
(2) Travelling restrictions on the Western Area
(3) Ban on night club activities
(4) Restaurants & bars banned from operating during weekend.
(5) Congregational prayers restricted to 90 minutes
(6) Spectators disallowed to watch sporting activities and all sporting activities done behind closed doors.
(7) Mandatory use of face mask in all public places. This was made by the National Emergency Response Center (NaCOVERC) last week as part of effort to slow down the spread of the corona virus.
NaCOVERC reintroduced more stringent measures to contain the second wave of the corona virus pandemic that is ravaging the World including Sierra Leone.
The announcement came through the Interim National Coordinator of NaCOVERC, Brig. (Rtd) Kellie Hassan Conteh during the daily press briefing.
The measures put in place are to curtail what appears to be the second wave and a new strain of COVID-19 hitting Sierra Leone and other parts of Africa.
These measures outlined took on Monday January 25th and will last for two weeks.
Adherence has so far been good with majority of people on the streets including those onboard vehicles putting on face masks but challenges at 6 Mile is still ongoing.
A good number of vehicles that wanted to enter and exit Freetown want to do so without the proper procedures.
Captain Yayah Bah is the commander in charge at 6 Mile check point, he said they are trying to do their best to achieve the goal of the operation but they seem to be meeting with more challenges.
He pointed out that drivers denied any knowledge for them to do their test before they can be allowed to leave Freetown.
According to him there was a huge blockage on Tuesday 26th January 2021 because most of the vehicles that wanted to exit Freetown did not show their test result.
He said the first challenge is testing, as some vehicles have passed by but the driver had no proof of Covid test result.
He also said pressure were mounted by authorities such as Members of Parliament and health workers among others to have access without showing their test result.
He spoke about the delay in getting the Covid test result out which is causing storming block for them.
Captain Yayah Bah disclosed that the percentage of those that are showing their Covid test result is very low from what they notice at the checkpoint.
“A driver will get his Covid test result while the apprentices have none; I have to ensure that the one without dismounts before the vehicle moves out of Freetown”
The drivers said that at the previous lockdown they were given the chance to go with essential goods to the province by obtaining pass but they were not aware of the new law for them to do tested.
Suggestion by both drivers and operational team was for a rapid test kit team attached at the checkpoint for drivers to be tested before leaving as a means of not depriving people from the provinces of goods.
