Egypt’s Health Ministry announces COVID-19 coexistence plan

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The Ministry of Health has announced a preliminary three-stage plan for coexisting with the coronavirus (COVID-19). The plan includes visual and oral sorting and temperature measurements for all citizens before entering public buildings, metros and trains.

Citizens will also be obliged to wear face masks, and business owners, shopping malls and other public buildings will be required to put hand sanitiser devices at their doors. Cinemas, theatres, cafes and other recreational areas will remain closed at this stage. The plan’s third stage will focus on the continued adoption of general hygiene methods, with a particular focus on food preparation at public eateries. The plan will be put in place until other decisions are made and the World Health Organisation (WHO) assesses the risks posed by the virus as low. It includes a commitment to good ventilation and preventing any kind of further contamination.

Until the WHO announces a safe vaccine for the coronavirus has been found, there will remain continued routine disease surveillance and a reactivation of surveillance and control methods should any new cases emerge.