The update of the new presidential decree on the situation of public calamity in the country, which comes into force from 1 April and runs until 14 May 2022, was presented this Thursday at the Aníbal de Melo Press Center (CIAM ), in Luanda.
The Minister of State and head of the President's Military House, Francisco Furtado, who presented the presidential decree, justified the easing of prevention measures due to the low number of new cases registered in March.
"During the month of March, the situation of covid-19 did not have major changes, until February 4 we recorded a rate of 0.86 percent and today the country completes 31 consecutive days without death", said the minister.
"It means to say that the measures taken by the authorities have had an effect and we are on average with a rate of 97 percent of asymptomatic patients in March", he stressed.
The new presidential decree on the situation of public calamity in the country, which is in force for 45 days, maintains the obligation to wear a face mask on public roads, markets and closed places.
"It is evident some relaxation and indiscipline in the use of the face mask in the markets and even on the public road, but we have to bear in mind that the pandemic is not over yet and we have to oblige to use it", warned Francisco Furtado.
The authorities authorize, however, that speakers or interlocutors who are taking the floor during a conference or colloquium may do so without a face mask.
It recommends vaccination for children aged 12 and over and recommends that national and foreign citizens carry out pre-shipment tests in the countries of origin and destination.
According to Francisco Furtado, who is also the coordinator of the Interministerial Commission for the Prevention and Combat of Covid-19 in Angola, it is still mandatory to present a certificate of vaccines or complete immunization for trips to the interior of the country.
"Filling in the travel registration form from the country of origin will be suspended", said the official, stating that the authorities keep the testing center at 4 de Fevereiro International Airport in operation, which detected 70 percent of the cases registered in March in the country.
The new decree maintains the mandatory isolation for citizens who arrive in Angola without complete immunization.
Public and private companies must work with the entire workforce and the distance of 1.5 meters at the place of work and at educational institutions drops.
The attendance of the public in the sports venues goes from 75 percent to 100 percent, in light of the new measures, but they "must wear a face mask and present the certificate or have two doses of the vaccine" to access the fields.
"The mandatory testing for athletes and sports coaches before the games is no longer required, as it is sufficient for them to have complete immunization", he pointed out.
The beaches remain open and the marinas "can now use the vessels that were restricted".
Francisco Furtado also noted that the new decree maintains the ban on the sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages on public roads and at gas stations.
For her part, the Minister of Health, Sílvia Lutucuta, made it known that the country recorded 21 new positive cases of covid-19 in the last 24 hours, a period in which no deaths were reported, and 19 people recovered from the disease.
Angola, which has been in a situation of public calamity for more than two years, has a total of 99,169 cases of covid-19, of which 97,144 have recovered, 125 are active and 1900 have died.
