The Order was published in the Official Gazette on August 3, 2021, but was made on July 30, 2021, according to the statutory instrument.

“This Order shall come into force on the 6th day of August 2021 at 5.01 am. For the purposes of controlling, suppressing or preventing the spread of COVID-19 and for the protection of all persons within the territory,” the Order said.

“For the purposes of subsection (1), no person shall be on the streets, and every person shall remain confined to their place of residence (inclusive of their yard space), from the date this Order comes into force to Friday 20th August 2021 between the hours of 7 pm to 5 am subject to such conditions as stipulated in this Order and requirements as provided under the Order.”

Curfew exemptions

The Order, however, stated that there were some classes of people that the curfew shall not apply to, such as someone who is the subject of a mandatory quarantine order under the relevant enactments, protocols or guidelines, or direction by a quarantine officer appointed under the Quarantine Act, 2014, to be in quarantine.

The Order is, in addition, not applicable to the heads of departments in the public service, heads of statutory corporations, persons employed in essential services, judges and magistrates, persons employed in mortuary services, humanitarian support, media and broadcast providers, agricultural workers, fisherfolks, and teachers, among others, travelling to and from work.