No More Masks as Govt Eases Restrictions

Health CS Mutahi Kagwe addresses the media at State House on Monday, March 7, 2022..jpg
Health CS Mutahi Kagwe addresses the media at State House on Monday, March 7, 2022.
State House Kenya

The government has lifted the Covid-19 restriction removing mandatory wearing of face masks in public places.

Health Cabinet Secretary, Mutahi Kagwe, announced the easing of the measures on Friday, March 11, during an address to the press.

The CS noted that Kenyans will no longer be required to wear masks in public places but will be required to do so when visiting government offices or using Public Service Vehicles (PSVs).

"There has been a lot of debate and discussions in the use of face masks as one of the measures. Wearing of masks in public places is now lifted," Kagwe stated during a press briefing at Afya House.

The government further put a stop to quarantine, meaning that persons suspected of contracting the virus will not be forced to isolate.

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Health CS Mutahi Kagwe address the press in May 2021
File

He also announced the resumption of full in person worship for vaccinated persons.

"All in-person worship resumes to full capacity as long as all congregants and worshippers are vaccinated. In terms of in country transport, all PSVs, train, and domestic flights operators may resume at full capacity. However, the PSVs, trains and air flight operators are to ensure that their staff are fully vaccinated while all travellers should have their face masks at all times during their course of travel," Kagwe stated.

For international travellers, Kagwe noted they will not be required to present vaccination certificates before being allowed into the country.

The CS noted that the decision to drop the containment measures follows a series of observations, research, and a drop in the infection level in the country. He, however, noted that the measures would be reviewed at any time.

On the vaccination drive, the government asked Kenyans to continue taking the jab in various designated facilities across the country.

The easing of the measures come just days after Kagwe hinted at dropping wearing of masks following a drop in infection and hospitalisation levels in the country.

The CS noted that despite the blatant disregard of the containment measures by Kenyans, the cases recorded were still low, signalling that the citizens may be developing herd immunity.

"I noticed that people are not actually wearing masks these days, then you wonder what happens next? Let us watch and see.

"Maybe we are developing herd immunity slowly and as we develop the immunity, you don't come herd on them. You don't create a police state of beating them up because they are not wearing masks," he stated.

"If they are not getting sick, then maybe that is the direction we ought to be going. This is a decision that we are going to be making in the next few days."

The announcement makes Kenya among the first countries to lift restrictions almost two years since they were imposed by President Uhuru Kenyatta.

Health CS Mutahi Kagwe During the Official Launch of Kenya's Largest Oxygen Plant at the MTRH on Monday, August 30, 2021.
Health CS Mutahi Kagwe During the Official Launch of Kenya's Largest Oxygen Plant at the MTRH on Monday, August 30, 2021.
KBC
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