What's the government response timeline for Tanzania?

From 30th January 2020 onward, the Government of Tanzania reinforced preparedness, response measures included screening at airports, ports, borders etc against the COVID 19 outbreak. http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2020-02/29/c_138830717.htm

From 30th January 2020 onwards, the Government of Tanzania reinforced preparedness, response measures included screening at airports, ports, borders etc against the COVID 19 outbreak http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2020-02/29/c_138830717.htm

"The Minister for Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children, Ms Ummy Mwalimu recently said authorities have expanded thermal screening facilities at all major airports. The minister revealed that screening exercises for incoming passengers are conducted in major airports--Julius Nyerere International Airport (JNIA), Kilimanjaro Airport (KIA) and Mwanza Airport. The minister said about 140 medical equipment had been installed at all major airports, borders and ports, and that medical experts have been trained to handle the screening process to reduce the risk of transmission from persons jetting in who might be infected." -- https://allafrica.com/stories/202003140021.html

All flights to India from Tanzania cancelled. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-africa/african-nations-close-borders-cancel-flights-to-contain-coronavirus-spread-idUSKBN2120YR

"The Minister for Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children, Ms Ummy Mwalimu recently said authorities have expanded thermal screening facilities at all major airports. The minister revealed that screening exercises for incoming passengers are conducted in major airports--Julius Nyerere International Airport (JNIA), Kilimanjaro Airport (KIA) and Mwanza Airport. The minister said about 140 medical equipment had been installed at all major airports, borders and ports, and that medical experts have been trained to handle the screening process to reduce the risk of transmission from persons jetting in who might be infected." -- https://allafrica.com/stories/202003140021.html

Contact tracing reported for first case in Tanzania, "a 46-year-old Tanzanian woman who arrived in Arusha from Belgium on the afternoon of March 14." https://www.voanews.com/science-health/coronavirus-outbreak/tanzania-confirms-first-case-coronavirus

"A day after a case of Coronavirus was confirmed in Tanzania, government has banned all forms of public gatherings calling on the public to observe caution. In a live broadcast the Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa said government had taken steps to suspend political gatherings and rallies, close all schools from kindergarten to Form Six for 30 days." https://allafrica.com/stories/202003171108.html http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2020-03/17/c_138888678.htm

Churches allowed to remain open, Prime Minister encourages attendance. "In a live broadcast the Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa said government had taken steps to suspend political gatherings and rallies, close all schools from kindergarten to Form Six for 30 days. The government has also suspended sports activities such as the Vodacom Premier League and all inter school games throughout the country." https://allafrica.com/stories/202003171108.html

The Tanzanian government has announced a ban on public gathering. The exact threshold as to what constitutes a gathering has not be specified, however, given that religious services are still allowed to take place, we estimate it to be a restriction on gatherings with more than 100 individuals. The government has been criticized for not banning church services and not imposing harsher restrictions ( https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/topics/cjnwl8q4qdrt/tanzania; https://www.voanews.com/science-health/coronavirus-outbreak/tanzanian-president-criticized-refusing-close-places-worship) "A day after a case of Coronavirus was confirmed in Tanzania, government has banned all forms of public gathering"; ( https://www.thecitizen.co.tz/news/1840340-5494476-agwmfd/index.html) "He also announced the suspension of all sports events and all forms of gatherings including political rallies for 30 days as the government in collaboration with its partners battled to contain the deadly disease." ( http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2020-03/17/c_138888678.htm)

"Tanzanian President John Magufuli on Wednesday ruled out a lockdown of business capital Dar es Salaam amid the COVID-19 pandemic, saying the move was aimed at saving people from difficulties and saving the country from an economic meltdown. Instead, Magufuli urged people to stop panicking but observing preventive and protective guidelines on the virus and at the same time participating in national building activities." http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2020-04/23/c_138999856.htm

https://www.thecitizen.co.tz/news/-Tanzania-extends-school-closure-to-universities-due-to-virus-/1840340-5495352-qgiccoz/index.htm "Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa extended closure of schools for an indefinite period on Tuesday, April 14, 2020, as the country registered four new coronavirus cases." https://allafrica.com/stories/202004150730.html

"Surveillance for suspected infected travellers has been heightened at all ports of entry, but mass testing is not on the cards yet." -- https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/news/ea/Tanzania-politics-hit-by-closures/4552908-5499192-48vcn7z/index.html

Land Transport Regulate Authority and health experts have issued warnings in Tanzania about the potential for overcrowded city buses to spread coronavirus, particularly Mbagala and Gongolamboto routes in Dar es Salaam. Authorities have advised bus operators to limit the number of passengers and encourage hand washing before riding. DART in Dar es Salaam has created queues for passengers, increased the number of buses on busy routes, and opened hand washing facilities in bus stations. However, concerns remain that operators and passengers are not listening to these recommendations as public buses remain crowded. https://allafrica.com/stories/202003260622.html

"As part of the additional measures to curb the spread of the virus, the president announced that with effect from today Tanzania will put all visitors and Tanzanians arriving from the high risk countries under quarantine at their own expense for 14 days." -- https://www.thecitizen.co.tz/news/1840340-5500244-audo6y/index.html

All international visitors must self-quarantine at their own expense. https://www.theafricareport.com/24954/east-africas-battle-with-covid-19/

Serengeti and Bunda Districts have public information campaign in place, reaching around 31 towns and villages. Campaign supported by Grumeti Reserves, a conservation and eco-tourism company. https://allafrica.com/stories/202003260584.html

The Tanzanian government has worked in education campaigns and launched a hotline for people report symptoms. https://www.un.org/en/un-coronavirus-communications-team/defending-africa-covid-19-un-and-governments-brace-virus-spread

"public transport is running in what appears to be a government move to minimise chances of the Covid-19 pandemic grinding the country to a halt." This is quote from article dated 28 March, but since then, none of the official communications suggests that there has been a change in policy. https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/news/ea/For-Tanzania-it-business-as-usual-yet-coronavirus/4552908-5506830-d6oxga/index.html Minister of health announced that screening would be extended to major bus stops, suggesting even further that public transport was not closed per se but continuing with enhanced measures. https://www.ippmedia.com/en/news/minister-coronavirus-spreading%C2%A0internally

Contact tracing is reported in association with cases in Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar, including mention of a list of people who may have had contact with infected individuals. https://www.nation.co.ke/news/africa/Tanzania-Covid-19-cases-rise-to-19/1066-5509538-4obx00/index.html

Restrictions on east African border crossings including Tanzania enhanced, "trucks and vehicles carrying goods and services are required to have only two to three crew members per vehicle to facilitate smooth border crossing in the region and will be decontaminated if crew members will be suspected to have COVID-19. She said crew members are supposed to declare their final destination at the points of entry and allowed only to stop at government designated locations. They will also be subjected to enhanced screening at the points of entry and may be quarantined or isolated at designated facilities in case they are suspected of COVID-19 infections." https://www.africanews.com/2020/04/05/coronavirus-tanzania-tighter-covid-19-vigilance/

Government members recommend publicly available testing. https://www.africanews.com/2020/04/07/coronavirus-tanzania-govt-bolsters-steps-as-cases-rise/

Official letter says since the 24th of March till the present (letter dated 8th april), over 2000 travellers have been quarantined. https://twitter.com/wizara_afyatz/status/1247913337893146624/photo/1 */ https://twitter.com/wizara_afyatz/status/1247913337893146624/photo/1

Reports of "strengthened testing measures and facilities" but no evidence of a testing policy https://www.africanews.com/2020/04/07/coronavirus-tanzania-govt-bolsters-steps-as-cases-rise/

Government issued letter on dated 6th april notes 4 new cases and refers to continuing the policy of tracing the contacts of these patients Original: https://twitter.com/wizara_afyatz/status/1247154307931176960/photo/1 Now archived: https://twitter.com/wizara_afyatz/status/1247154307931176960/photo/1? https://twitter.com/wizara_afyatz/status/1247154307931176960/photo/1

According to an IMF policy response tracker, updated on 9th April, Government and private enterprises continue to operate as normal https://www.imf.org/en/Topics/imf-and-covid19/Policy-Responses-to-COVID-19#T

Flights in and out of the country have been banned https://www.thecitizen.co.tz/news/1840340-5500244-audo6y/index.html https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/tanzania/coronavirus

According to an IMF database updated on 16th April, Government and private enterprises continue to operate as normal. https://www.imf.org/en/Topics/imf-and-covid19/Policy-Responses-to-COVID-19

Frequent government updates show evidence of contacts being traced. Most recent update: https://www.instagram.com/p/B_HX1ggATvE/

No evidence of a testing policy. https://www.instagram.com/p/B_SO6ZQpSHJ/

"The majority of hotels, bars and restaurants have closed voluntarily" although there is no gov mandated closures. https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/tanzania/staying-during-coronavirus

Public campaign in existence, although Tanzanian gov accused of hiding the true number of cases and withholding public health information. https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/13/africa/tanzania-coronavirus-us-embassy/index.html

The government has reopened the airport for international flights and looks forward to the return of tourists. https://newsaf.cgtn.com/news/2020-05-19/Tanzania-reopens-skies-for-int-l-passenger-flights-QBw9eOKSkw/index.html https://www.thecitizen.co.tz/news/-Tanzania-expects-tourism-boom-after-lifting-flight-ban/1840340-5559214-cdojyx/

On 26th May 2020, a guidelines were issued by ministry of health, to tracking a person who was close to a patient of COVID 19. https://drive.google.com/file/d/18UBd6STPJ2wfw9pKh74BA-Q6-oiyfEgs/view?usp=sharing

Maybe need to revise the classification? Public events are not permitted in the whole of Tanzania, besides religious celebrations. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-tanzania/tanzanias-magufuli-plans-to-lift-coronavirus-restrictions-idUSKBN22T0P0

The president is not taking the issue seriously enough to come up with nationwide consistent testing policies https://www.independent.co.uk/news/long_reads/coronavirus-east-africa-kenya-tanzania-truckers-testing-a9532686.html#gsc.tab=0

High schools and universities reopened on Monday: https://www.africanews.com/2020/06/02/universities-high-schools-reopen-in-tanzania/

This doesn't really fit very well, because it seems as though sporting events are now allowed to go ahead, but with reduced numbers of people and with social distancing. So although there are still some measures and so it is not in category 0, it doesn't really fit with 1 or 2 either. However, I'll class it as 1. https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/news/ea/Tanzania-goes-back-to-activity-with-strict-precautions/4552908-5571860-1qwxfq/

Tanzania'a borders remain open with heavy territorial movement between neighbouring states through trucks and other travellers https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-52723594

All schools in Tanzania will reopen as of June 29 after three months of closure due to the novel coronavirus, local media reported quoting the country’s president. The Monday’s announcement by President John Magufuli makes Tanzania the first country in East Africa to reopen schools, according to The Citizen local website. https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/tanzania-to-reopen-schools-after-3-month-closure/1878753

Technically there is a page on the website of the ministry of health which contains safety procedures to be adopted. In practice, the country is officially Corona-free and there is no real campaign to convince people to follow preventative measures: http://archive.fo/UIc4M

The Government of the United Republic of Tanzania has opened its airspace to restore its conventional transportation involving commercial airlines and passengers to the various country. In view of this, on 20th July 2020, the Ministry has prepared a guidelines for testing travelers those who go abroad, especially those who need to be tested for infection COVID-19. https://drive.google.com/file/d/19GSn7favjqPYn68X3DN4kocvaafc-nIp/view?usp=sharing https://drive.google.com/file/d/19GSn7favjqPYn68X3DN4kocvaafc-nIp/view

Tanzania is definitely denying any spread of the virus. A foreign citizen has resulted positive to the virus weeks after the country was declared covid-free. Despite him knowing of at least other 25 people getting COVID, there was no attempt by the govt to trace contacts. http://archive.fo/zQhLc

I am pretty sure that they lifted or at least eased restrictions on gatherings at some point, but could not find it.

"Tanzania is implementing temperature screening for passengers on arrival. If you show symptoms of COVID-19 on arrival, you may undergo enhanced screening and be required to take a Covid test, followed by a possible 14-day self-isolation." http://archive.fo/YqW9R

The government has removed mandatory 14-day quarantine requirements for visitors on arrival, as well as the requirement for a negative COVID-19 test. However, temperature screening for passengers on arrival is being implemented. If visitors show symptoms of COVID-19 on arrival, they may undergo enhanced screening and be required to take a Covid-19 test, followed by a 14-day self-isolation, depending on the result. Source: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/tanzania

"Speaking at the Eid al Adha special gathering (Eid Baraza) at Bumbwini Secondary School, north of the city, President Ali Mohamed Shein asked members of the public to continue working hard while observing health precautions and prayers." Sources: https://dailynews.co.tz/news/2020-08-195f3d0a232aaeb.aspx https://allafrica.com/stories/202008050256.html (unable to archive)