The Public Emergency Regulations, 2020

CONSTITUTIONAL INSTRUMENT NO. 13 OF 2020 Published 14th May, 2020 THE PUBLIC EMERGENCY REGULATIONS, 2020 THE COVID-19 PUBLIC EMERGENCY RESPONSE COORDINATION REGULATIONS, 2020 In exercise of the powers conferred upon him by subsection (5) of section 29 of the Constitution of Sierra Leone, 1991 (Act No. 6 of 1991), and by Proclamation made by the President and published in the Gazette as (Public Notice No. 6 of 2020), the President hereby makes the following Regulations–

These Regulations shall be deemed to have come intooperation on the 1st day of April, 2020. PART I–PRELIMINARY

– “authorised person” means a person authorised by the Coordinator to carry out a Covid-19 Emergency Response Coordination function under these Regulation; “Centre” means the COVID-19 Emergency Response Coordination Centre established under paragraph (a) of sub-regulation (1) of Regulation 3; “community care centre” means small facilities (10 beds maximum), located within the community and run by community health workers designated by the Coordinator under paragraph (b) of sub-regulation (1) of Regulation 3 as a facility for isolating persons confirmed to be infected with the corona virus disease; Short title. Commencement. Interpretation. CONSTITUTIONAL INSTRUMENT Supplement to the Sierra Leone Gazette Vol. CXLXI, No. 28 dated 14th May, 2020 13. A person who conceals a person infected or suspected to be infected with the corona virus disease commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding 3, 000, 000.00 Leones or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years or to both the fine and imprisonment. MADE this 11th day of May, 2020. RTD. BRIG., JULIUS MAADA BIO, President. FREETOWN, SIERRA LEONE. Concealing infected persons. PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY THE GOVERNMENT PRINTING DEPARTMENT, SIERRA LEONE. GAZETTE NO. 28 OF 14TH MAY, 2020. “Coordinator” means the person appointed by the President to be responsible for COVID-19 Response Coordination operations; “isolation facility” means a facility designated by the Coordinator under paragraph (b) of sub-regulation (1) of Regulation 3 as a facility for isolating persons confirmed to be infected with the corona virus disease; “public place” includes, government offices, courts, markets, hospitals, public transport; “quarantine facility” means a facility designated by the Coordinator under clause (b) of sub-regulation (1) of Regulation 3 as a facility for quarantining of persons suspected to be infected with the corona virus disease; “unit” means a Covid-19 Emergency Response Coordination unit established under paragraph (b) of sub-regulation (1) of Regulation 3 in each District in Sierra Leone, comprising such isolation facilities, quarantine facilities or community care centres. PART II - COVID-19 EMERGENCY RESPONSE COORDINATION CENTRE, UNITS, Etc.

(1) The Coordinator shall, for the purpose of dealing with,reported or suspected cases of the corona virus disease, - (a) establish a Covid-19 Emergency Response Coordination Centre; (b) establish a COVID-19 Emergency Response Coordination unit in each District in Sierra Leone, comprising such isolation facilities, quarantine facilities or community care centres; (c) designate an area in a residence or house to be used for the purpose of self-isolation or self-quarantine, as may be necessary to carry out COVID-19 Emergency Response Coordination operations. (2) The Centre established under paragraph (a) of subregulation (1) shall be headed by the Coordinator and shall be responsible for coordinating the COVID-19 Emergency Response coordinator operations including oversight of COVID-19 Emergency Response Coordination Units, quarantine facilities isolation facilities, isolation and quarantine case management, psychosocial support, laboratory investigations, infection prevention and control and food and nutrition supplies. (3) A person committed to a unit, quarantine facility, isolation facility, community care centre or designated area in a residence or house, shall not leave that unit, facility, care centre or area, unless on the authority of an authorised medical practitioner that that person is free from the infection of the corona virus disease. (4) An unauthorised person who enters a unit, isolation facility, quarantine facility, community care centre or designated area in a residence or house, shall be immediately placed in quarantine. COVID-19 Emergency Response Coordination Centre, units, etc. (5) The health status of a person committed to a unit, isolation facility, quarantine facility, community care centre or designated area in a residence or house, shall be regularly monitored by an authorised medical practitioner in order to determine whether they require further isolation or quarantine. PART III - COVID-19 EMERGENCY RESPONSE CASE MANAGEMENT

(1) An authorised person may order that a person who isconfirmed to be infected with the corona virus disease be taken to an isolation facility. (2) A person who tests positive for the corona virus disease under sub-regulation (1) shall give his correct name, address and other relevant personal information to an authorised person.

(1) An authorised person may order that a person who issuspected to be infected with the corona virus disease be taken to a quarantine facility, community care centre or designated an area in a residence or house. (2) A person who is placed in quarantine under subregulation (1) shall submit himself for corona virus disease tests to be administered by authorised medical practitioner. (3) Where, a person placed in quarantine under subregulation (1) is confirmed to be infected with the corona virus disease he shall be immediately transferred to an isolation facility. (4) Where an authorised medical practitioner certifies that a person placed in quarantine under sub-regulation (1) is free from the infection of the corona virus disease, his quarantine shall be immediately terminated. Notification of corona virus disease infection. Suspected corona virus disease death.

(1) An authorised person shall conduct surveillance,including house to house searches to identify persons suspected to be infected with the corona virus disease or to identify persons who have come in contact with a person infected with the corona virus disease. (2) A person suspected to be infected with the corona virus disease or to have come in contact with a person infected with the corona virus disease shall provide to an authorised person, information relating to– (a) persons with whom he had been in contact; (b) places which he had visited that may have exposed him to the corona virus disease; (c) any other information relevant to identifying his contact with person or places infected with the corona virus disease.

An authorised person shall, where a person is confirmedor suspected to have been infected by the corona virus disease, immediately notify the Centre.

An authorised person shall, where there is reason tosuspect that a person has died of the corona virus disease, order that the deceased person shall not be buried until the Centre has been notified. Confirmed cases. Suspected cases. Contact tracing. PART IV - COVID-19 EMERGENCY RESPONSE ENFORCEMENT POWERS

An authorised person may, with the assistance of an officerof the Sierra Leone Police or the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces, for the purposes of enforcing these Regulations– (a) remove a person to a unit, isolation facility, quarantine facility, community care centre or designated area in a residence or house; (b) restrain a person from leaving or entering a unit, isolation facility, quarantine facility, community care centre or designated area in a residence or house; (c) restrict the movement of persons and vehicles to and from areas declared to be epicentres of the corona virus disease. PART V – OFFENCES AND PENALTIES

(1) An authorised person shall not disclose the identityof a person infected or suspected to be infected with the corona virus disease or information relating to the identity of that person. (2) A person offering professional services to the COVID- 19 Emergency Response Coordination operations shall not disclose the identity of a person infected or suspected to be infected with the corona virus disease or information relating to the identity of that person. (3) An authorised person who contravenes subregulation (1) is liable to a fine of 3, 000.00 Leones and shall be removed from the COVID-19 Emergency Response Coordination operations. (4) A person who contravenes sub-regulation (2) is liable to a fine of 3, 000.00 Leones, removed from the COVID-19 Emergency Response Coordination operations and his licence to practise withdrawn by the appropriate body.

(a) knowing that he is infected with the corona virus disease; (b) being in charge of a person infected with the corona virus disease; wilfully coughs, sneezes, touches or otherwise exposes himself or that person, as the case may be, to another person, without proper precaution to avoid the spread of the disease, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding 3, 000, 000.00 Leones or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years or to both the fine and imprisonment.

A person who obstructs an authorised person or an officerof the Sierra Leone Police or the Armed Forces assisting that person in carrying out duties under these Regulations commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding 3, 000, 000.00 Leones or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years or to both the fine and imprisonment. Power to remove, restrain or restrict. Breach of confidentiality. Knowingly endangering other persons by exposure. Obstruction of an authorised person.