Overview

Cumulative COVID-19 cases in Sierra Leone exceeded 4,100 by early June 2021. A second wave in early 2021—which saw daily cases exceeding the previous peak in May June 2020—abated in February 2021; daily cases have been low since. At the onset of the pandemic, the Government decisively implemented prevention measures, including a 12-month state of emergency. After a period of progressive easing since mid 2020, some restrictions were temporarily reintroduced in January 2021. The state of emergency was lifted in March 2021; public health directives remain in place. The first vaccines (from SinoPharm and Astra Zeneca) arrived in late February and totaled 200,000 and 96,000 doses, respectively (a total of 528,000 of AstraZeneca have been allocated under COVAX). By early June, the number of people having received at least one dose was around 69,000 (about 0.9 percent of the population), with about 11,000 of these (0.14 percent of the population) fully vaccinated.

1. Border controls and closure. Mandatory quarantine on entering the country and closure of land borders (the Guinea border has since re-opened although with tight screening processes). International passenger flights were suspended during March July 2020.
2. Social distancing. The first wave of restrictions in 2020 closed education institutions; discouraged large gatherings; restricted access to beaches and entertainment; limited passengers on public transport; and required use of face masks.The second wave of restrictions in January 2021 included limits on restaurants and religious services and banned audiences at sporting events.
3. Lockdown. The partial lockdown—begun in April 2020 and gradually eased since June 2020—restricted non-essential inter-district travel, reduced public working hours; and imposed a national nighttime curfew. Inter-district travel restrictions were lifted in late June 2020(reintroduced for two weeks in Jan/Feb 2021 on travel to/from the Western Area).