Kenya has lifted its remaining coronavirus restrictions including a ban on large indoor gatherings such as religious services and a requirement to present a negative Covid-19 test for arriving air passengers.
Speaking this Friday, Health Minister Mutahi Kagwe said that although Kenyans should continue heeding public health measures such as handwashing and social distancing, face masks are no longer mandatory in public and all quarantine measures for confirmed Covid-19 cases have been halted with immediate effect.
For the past month the Kenya's positivity rate for Covid has remained below 1%, which has been attributed to the rising number of Kenyans opting to get vaccinated.
BREAKING: CS Mutahi Kagwe announces lifting of mandatory wearing of masks in public places. pic.twitter.com/3EuMAdFA7l
— NTV Kenya (@ntvkenya) March 11, 2022
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Vaccination rules
In November, the government announced that proof of vaccination would be required by 21 December to access schools, transport, state offices, hotels, bars, restaurants, national parks and wildlife reserves.
But a court blocked the move amid uncertainty over who would enforce the measures or what to do with people unable to access access vaccines.
The minister did not mention the court order in his remarks this Friday.
According to government statistics, Kenya has recorded less than 35 daily Covid infections over the past week.
About 323,000 infections, and 5,600 deaths, have been recorded in the country of 54 million since the pandemic began in 2020.
An estimated 29% of Kenyan adults are fully vaccinated, more than most countries in sub-Saharan Africa.
