Malawi’s Spectacular Response to Covid-19 Enables Them To Reopen Borders

Malawi reopens boarders after effective COVID response

Since the first case of the Corona Virus was registered in Wuhan, China, the virus has taken so many lives across the world.

Malawi is a landlocked country located in the southern part of Africa with a total population of close to 17.5 Million people.

Though it is ranked as one of the poorer countries in the world, their handling of the spread of COVID throughout the country has been remarkable.

What measures did the government put in place?

Firstly, they appointed a Special Cabinet Committee for Coronavirus on the 7th March 2020 with an aim of providing policy guidance and looking at all top-level matters concerning the COVID-19 pandemic.

The government on March 21, 2020, declared the country as a ‘state of emergency’ and proceeded to ban street vending, public gatherings including religious gatherings, wedding ceremonies, pubs, etc. On the 23rd March 2020, the Ministry of Education announced the closure of all schools, colleges in both public and private sectors in order to combat the COVID-19.

Since the announcement of the state of emergency just like other African countries the Malawi government has also closed its land borders and have restricted air flights with a special announcement to suspend all international flights starting from 1 April 2020 whereby allowing only transportations of goods and services that are essential to the country.

Locals were also educated on ways to prevent and control COVID and COVID like symptoms such as; using masks, wash their hands with soap, use of sanitizer, and reporting to the nearest hospitals if they have any unusual symptoms in order to improve their hygiene as some of the ways laid down in helping to prevent and control the Virus.

People were also advised to self-quarantine if they believed to be developing symptoms of COVID and to let people they’ve been in contact with their current situations.

Combating COVID-19 is a challenging task for all the countries affected but Malawi’s quick approach to the virus has allowed them to keep the country’s CoronaVirus death toll under 190 to this date!

Malawi reopened their borders on the 1st of September to a limited number of commercial flights.

Whilst, entry to Malawi via land borders continues to be prohibited except for Malawian nationals and foreign nationals with valid residency visas for Malawi.

All passengers entering Malawi must provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken within 10 days of arrival.

Keep update with your government’s latest travel advice. (Travel Advice for British Citizens)

Learn more about Malawi!

Thinking of going? Book your tour here

Sources:

Researchgate
World Vision