Mozambique: Use of masks becomes mandatory in all public places

Login

Register

http://www.clubofmozambique.com/

Mozambique: Use of masks becomes mandatory in all public places

2:53 CAT | 06 May 2020

Photo: O País

The Mozambican government on Tuesday approved the extension of the current State of Emergency phase throughout the country, consolidating and reinforcing the measures in force since April 1, the start of the first phase of restrictive measures to combat the Covid-19 pandemic.

Wearing of masks in any public spaces where people congregate is now mandatory.

“In addition to the mandatory use of masks in public transport, we have additionally decreed the use of masks will be mandatory in any other place of where people concentrate,” Council of Ministers spokesman and deputy minister of Justice Filimão Swaze announced at the usual post-cabinet briefing.

This, Swaze said, along with other State of Emergency measures, if fully observed, would guarantee that the country had the Covid-19 situation under control, although evidence so far had shown that some people were not following the guidelines.

Justifying the mandatory reinforcement of this measure, Swaze said: “In many crowded places, like markets, people have not been respecting social distancing guidelines, or the use of masks”.

The Council of Ministers also expressed concern about the increasing number of people on public roads.

“There is a feeling on the part of some people of a relative relaxation, both in terms of road traffic and pedestrians,” the Cabinet spokesman said, warning: “We want to draw attention to the fact that, as His Excellency the President of the Republic said, we should not create conditions that oblige the Defence and Security Forces to take action to regulate our behaviour”.

Also among the new measures is some degree of relaxation regarding Single Service Counters (BAU) requirements, in response to demand.

“We are going to deal with some issues relating to Covid-19 itself, such as the opening of companies, reserving [company] names, and so on,” Swaze explained

By William Mapote

Source: O País