The government has extended closing hours of restaurants and hotels from 5.00p.m to 7.30 p.m daily but advised operators to adhere to protocols’ provided by the Ministry of Health on Covid 19.
The Health Cabinet Secretary (CS), Mutahi Kagwe said that this arises following consultations between restaurant owners and the National Emergency Response Committee (NERC) on COVID-19 on restaurant hours of business and reflecting on the restaurant’s behavior.
Speaking when giving the Covid 19 update at Afya House on Tuesday, the CS said that the hours will also be enough to allow workers who are usually housed by the hotels enough time to beat the curfew and go home.
“The operators of these restaurants must however ensure they have thermo-guns at the entrance of the premises to screen clients for temperature, provide handwashing stations and soap at the entrance for clients and also provide sanitizers in strategic places at the facilities.
He added that the owners must also ensure that every client entering the establishment wears a face mask, including food handlers and give provision for social and physical distancing.
The CS also eased a little bit on protocols’ that even as all restaurant workers must be tested before the opening of the restaurant, they will not need another test after 14 days unless the restaurant does not follow the protocols or a person shows symptoms of the disease.
Public Health officials in their respective areas, the CS said are required to ensure that the guidelines are complied with.
“They are further required to conduct regular inspections of the facilities, and any operator found not to follow the guidelines, will have his certificate and operating license permanently revoked, in accordance with the Public Health Act, Cap 242”, Kagwe warned.
Switching to Covid numbers, the CS said that out of the 3255 samples tested in the last 24 hours, 133 people have tested positive bringing the total number of positives to 3860.
Cumulatively so far 121,956 samples have been tested.
All the positive cases in today’s test, the CS said are Kenyans, with 88 being males and 45 females and the youngest is 13 years old and the oldest is 90 years.
The 133 positive cases are distributed in Nairobi, 86 cases, Mombasa, 27, Kiambu, (7), Busia (5) and Muranga, Kilifi, Kajiado, and Migori (2) case each while Machakos and Muranga, one (1) case each.
In sub-counties, the cases are distributed in Nairobi from; Westlands, (13), Embakasi South, (10), Makadara, (9), Langata, (8), Embakasi East, and Roysambu, (5) cases each, Starehe, (4), Ruaraka, Embakasi Central, Dagoretti North, (3) cases each, Embakasi North, Embakasi West, Kasarani, Dagoretti South, and Kibra one (1) case each.
In Mombasa, the 27 cases are from Mvita, (16), Kisauni, (6), Nyali, (3), Changamwe and Jomvu one (1) case each.
The cases in Kiambu are from Kiambaa, (3) cases, Kabete, Juja, Kikuyu and Kiambu Town, one (1) case each. Kilifi has (2) cases, one each (1) from Kaloleni and Kilifi North.
Kajiado has (2) two cases, one (1) case each from Kajiado East and Kajiado west, while Migori has two (2) cases, one (1) each from Kuria west and Kuria East. Machakos has one case from Athi River and Muranga has one (1) case from Kigumo.
Kagwe noted that the government has today discharged 40 patients from various hospitals, bringing the tally of recoveries to 1,326 but lost one (1) more patient to the disease, bringing the total number of those who have succumbed to 105.
Dr. Pacifica Onyancha , Head of the Preventive and Promotive Services said childrens diet and nutrition is necessary especially at this time of Covid 19 noting that it is important to build immunity.
She explained that the ministry of health has implemented high impact interventions on policies and guidelines for child survival through promotion of immunization coverage at health centres.
“We are making sure there is scheduled appointments to avoid crowding and that the staff attending to the clinic have their temperatures taken every morning”, she said
Dr. Onyancha further said that they are promoting exclusive breastfeeding of up to 6 months and in the face of Covid, are asking mothers to continue breastfeeding their children and if positive to use a mask even as they breastfeed.
Mothers and children, she explained are fragile during this time of Covid and asked parents not to allow children under two years wear mask and also those who are under 5 not to do so if they are at home or in a car because of suffocation.
“Mental status of those taking care of the children as well as the mothers is detrimental and we are requesting those of you who need psychosocial support to seek help so that you don’t injure or affect the child “, Dr. Onyancha said.
Today’s briefing came as the Country was commemorating the Day of the Africa Child that is marked every 16th of June.
By Wangari Ndirangu
