Senegalese President Macky Sall announced on Monday that the restrictive measures against the Covid-19 would be eased, starting with a reduction in the night curfew from Tuesday and the reopening of places of worship. In a televised speech, Macky Sall affirmed the need “to learn to live in the presence of the virus” which should continue to circulate in the country until August or even September “in the best of cases” , and “to adapt ( the) individual and collective behaviors ” .
"I have decided to relax the conditions of the state of emergency: from Tuesday 12 May 2020, the curfew hours will be from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. instead of 8 p.m. to 6 a.m." , he said as expressions of impatience began to emerge in the country under emergency since March 23. Macky Sall also announced the reopening of places of worship, mainly mosques closed for collective prayers in the middle of the holy month of Ramadan in a Muslim country at more than 90%, and Christian churches.
Read also: Macky Sall: "An Africa helpless against the Covid-19 would be a threat to the world"
Markets and shops forced to open only a few days a week will only have to close one day for cleaning. Restrictions on public transport will also be eased. The school will resume on June 2, but only for the approximately 551,000 students in examination classes (CM2, 3rd, terminal) out of a total of 3.5 million.
Macky Sall also lifted the ban on repatriating the bodies of Senegalese who died abroad from the Covid-19. Dozens of remains have been blocked for several weeks, especially in France, but also elsewhere in Europe or the United States. The Supreme Court, seized by the bereaved families, had however validated last week this ban motivated by the risk of contagion during the manipulation of the bodies.
Read also: LIVE - Coronavirus: 263 additional deaths in 24 hours, 2712 people are still in intensive care
The pandemic remains relatively contained in this poor country in West Africa. Senegal has officially declared 1,886 cases of contamination and 19 deaths since the first case announced on March 2. The authorities have been careful not to impose total confinement, which is difficult to imagine when a large part of the population lives from day to day. But they closed the borders, prohibited gatherings as well as circulation between the cities, and imposed the obligatory wearing of the mask in the public and private services.
The government "will ensure in particular that attendance at places of worship", schools, public spaces, markets or restaurants, "strictly obey physical distancing measures and barrier gestures, in particular the compulsory wearing of masks and hand washing, ”said Macky Sall on Monday.