Health Alert: U.S. Embassy Freetown

May 1, 2020

Location: Sierra Leone (countrywide)

Event:  Nationwide Lockdown, Sunday to Tuesday, May 3-5

There will be a nationwide lockdown from Sunday, May 3 to Tuesday, May 5.  All individuals in Sierra Leone are required to stay at home during this three-day period. The National Cleaning Day scheduled for Saturday, May 2 has been cancelled and the restrictions on movement planned for Saturday morning have been lifted.

Commercial banks will be open on Friday, May 1 and Saturday, May 2 from 9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Curfew restrictions and limits on inter-district travel remain in place. The nationwide curfew extends from 9:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.

Please monitor local media sources for information on any additional restrictions that will be put in place to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. The U.S. Embassy will send updates as information is confirmed. Rumors spread rapidly on social media. We encourage you to visit the Sierra Leone Ministry of Health website for COVID information.

Citizens are required to observe social distancing protocols, wear cloth masks in public, stay home if they are sick, and seek medical attention if they show symptoms of COVID-19. If you have fever, tiredness, and cough, call 117 right away. Make sure to tell 117 if you or someone you know has traveled to another country in the last 14 days. Avoid travel if you have a fever or cough.  The airport and land borders are closed to travel.

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