Bulletin No. 4: SADC Regional Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic

This Bulletin No. 4: of the SADC Regional Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic highlights some global public health initiatives which are being rolled out, including vaccine initiatives and testing. It also highlights the regional case load, depicting some of the highly impacted countries.

It further provides highlights on the testing capacity of SADC Member States In the last few days, the region has seen some plans and strategies by some Member States to ease lock down measures, this Bulletin highlights the case of Botswana and South Africa on easing lock down measures as the steps that these Member states will be taking. The Bulletin further provides updates on the economic measures and impact as well as on the implementation of the SADC Guidelines on Trade and Transport Facilitation.

Key recommendations are summarized as follows:

• Member States are urged to step up testing, including mass testing for case identification. Member States intending to lift lock down rules should do so in a phased manner, without compromising the efforts to reduce transmission.
• Member States intending to reopen schools should consider putting in place the following as a basic minimum which should include, but not limited to, basic hygiene, water and sanitation facilities; availability of cleaners and screeners; providing additional teaching staff to decongest classrooms as well as mobile classrooms; compulsory wearing of masks; sanitization and disinfection of classrooms and common areas, enforcing extreme social distancing in classrooms and in school buses.
• Member States who have not yet done so, are urged to submit copies of national trade and transport facilitation guidelines that they have issued under the Covid-19 emergency, details of their focal persons of their National Trade and Transport bodies and details of designated border focal persons for data sharing in order to facilitate evaluation or consistency, information sharing, monitoring and reporting as directed by Council. All Member States are also requested to share copies of revised and updated guidelines.
• Member States are encouraged to consider coordinating their approaches and timing when revising regulations and laws that affect transport in order to avoid or mitigate disruptions to cross border supply chains and transportation.
• Member States are encouraged to consider transport sector when implementing stimulus measures to ensure economic stability and COMESA, East African Community (EAC) and SADC to harmonize their approaches to regulation of transport during Covid-19 emergency.