Covid-19: Lesotho goes into a 14-day lockdown! [update]

update (04 March 2021): International travel in and out of Lesotho remains prohibited while the country is under re-adjusted colour code "purple" (Moderate Community Transmission Stage). For more info click here.

update (03 February 2021): International travel in and out of Lesotho remains prohibited while the country is under "orange level" lockdown. Public recreational areas (parks) also remain closed. For more info click here.

update (03 February 2021): According to the US Embassy in Lesotho, Lesotho has decreased the lockdown alert in the country to "orange level" effective today (03 February 2021). Restrictions remain in place for many activities including mandatory masks in public places, a nationwide curfew each day from 21:00 to 5:00, and limits gatherings of any kind to a specified number of attendees. We'll keep you posted!

update (29 January 2021): The Prime Minister of Lesotho, Dr Moeketsi Majoro announced on 27 January 2021 that the hard lockdown has been extended with 7 days effective from 27 January 2021 midnight to 03 February 2021 (Wednesday next week).

The Government of Lesotho has decided to put the country on a two-week total lockdown starting from midnight on 14 January 2021. The Prime Minister of Lesotho, Dr Moeketsi Majoro, announed the decision when addressing the nation on state television on 12 January 2021. The shutdown means Lesotho has been put to an adjusted red colour coding stage due to the high rate of COVID-19 infections and deaths. During the adjusted lockdown, the following measures will be implemented:

• no movement across the country's borders except for:
• essential goods and services
• migrant workers
• medical reasons (with permits)
• funerals for parents, children, siblings and grandparents
• the nationwide curfew will be from 19:00 to 06:00
• social/family gatherings, entertainment industry, sporting events, gyms, and political gatherings will be restricted except essential goods and services
• retail and supermarkets, grocery shops and cafes will be open only from 08:00 to 16:00
• retail and supermarkets, grocery shops and cafes should restrict the number of people entering the store to one person/m²
• health service providers, food and agriculture, financial services, communication service providers, filling stations will continue to provide services
• 4+1 taxis will be permitted to carry three passengers, 15 seater taxi will be allowed to carry 10 passengers, while 22 seater and bus will be allowed to carry 70% capacity and no standing passenger
• taxi owners must acquire a permit from traffic department
• funerals are expected to operate as follows: for outdoor burial of private family members services, a number of people is restricted to a maximum of 10 and the service to take not more than 2 hours, no buffet service but only prepacked meals.