The Tunisian government on Wednesday announced relaxation in COVID-19 restrictions starting May 14 until June 6, reported CGTN Africa.
During a press conference held at the government’s headquarters, Hasna Ben Slimane, the government’s spokeswoman, said travel between all Tunisian governorates will resume without authorization from May 14 at 5 a.m. local time. She added that shopping malls and places of worship will reopen from May 16.
The government spokeswoman said that primary and secondary school classes will resume on May 17, while classes in universities will resume on May 19.
Ben Slimane said coffee shops and restaurants will have to adhere to all necessary health protocols and can entertain a minimum capacity of 30 percent in closed areas and 50 percent in open-air spaces. She added that incoming passengers to Tunisia, a country of almost 12 million, will have to observe a mandatory quarantine.
On Tuesday, the Tunisian Health Ministry reported 1,161 new COVID-19 cases, raising the total number of infections in the country to 322,998. The death toll rose by 88 to 11,556 in Tunisia, and the total number of recoveries reached 281,554, the ministry said in a statement.
Last week, the Tunisian government had announced a week of coronavirus restrictions covering the Eid holiday that marks the end of Ramadan is traditionally a time when Muslim families and friends gather together.
The country launched a vaccination campaign in mid-March, a month later than planned. The vaccination drive is moving more slowly than anticipated.
South Africa, the worst COVID-19 affected nation in Africa, has reported over 1.6 million coronavirus cases including 54970 deaths so far.
Meanwhile, the Morocco government decided on May 7 to impose a general lockdown for a period of seven days from May 9 to May 16 to contain the rapid spread of COVID-19 in the country.
