COVID-19 IN MAURITUS
“On the 19th March 2020 our beautiful island life changed forever, much like the rest of the world at this time. The Mauritian Government confirmed it's first 3 cases of Corona Virus. The virus which originated in Wuhan, China and is set to be the largest pandemic of our lifetime.
Here I will tell you the story of Covid-19 from my experience on the island and give you the current measures in place to reduce the spread of the virus. If you don't find what you are looking for you can always contact me by clicking on one of the inquiry form buttons throughout this site".
Karen
CURRENT TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS
Whether you are vaccinated or not you are required to have Covid-19 health insurance (unless you are a Mauritius citizen or resident).
If you are travelling to Mauritius and are vaccinated there is no need to do Covid testing before flying. However when you land in Mauritius it is compulsory to have a Covid test at the airport. Once this test is negative you are free to explore the island freely. It is advised to carry your vaccination card with you (or a photograph of it) as many restaurants and activities will require you to present it before entering.
If you are travelling to Mauritius and are NOT vaccinated you will have to complete a covid test on arrival and then isolated in accommodation of your choice for 7 days. On day 7 you will have to complete another Covid test. Once this is negative you will be able to move freely around the island, but as stated previously many activities in Mauritius require you to show your vaccination card. So you might miss out on some experiences.
GENERAL RESTRICTIONS
It is obligatory to wear a mask in Mauritius while walking around in public spaces. If you are caught without on by the police you can end up with a fine of 2,000RS.
Most public establishments will require you to wear a masks, have your temperature checked and sanitises your hands. Some may ask you to present your vaccination cards to enter.
All gatherings in Mauritius are limited to 50 people maximum and it the number exceeds 50 the gathering will be terminated. Many religious and non-religious gathers and celebrations have be cancelled due to this law.
In establishments serving food and drinks you may, if seated, remove your mask to eat and drink. Otherwise if moving around you must wear your mask.
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TESTING POSITIVE
If you think you might have caught Covid-19 in Mauritus you can get a free test a most hospitals or you can purchase a test from most pharmacies.
If while being in Mauritius you test positive for Covid-19 you must self-isolate for 7 days. After this you are free to resume normal activities. If you still test positive you must inform the Domiciliary Monitoring Unit, before resuming normal activities.
If you come into direct contact with someone that has tested positive for Covid-19 you are nor required to self isolate, but it is advised you take precautionary measures such as frequent sanitisation, wearing a mask and social distancing.
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VACCINATIONS
Since January 2021 Mauritius has been mass vacinating the nation. With almost 80% of the population receiving their first dose, 76% their second and 47% their third dose. The vaccinations which have been available on the island are (This are available while stocks last):
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Pfizer vaccine
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Covaxin vaccine
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Johnson & Johnson vaccine
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Moderna vaccie
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AstraZeneca vaccine
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Sinopharm vaccine
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Sputnik vaccine
To get your vaccination you can visit a government hospital or vaccination centre. You will most likely have a long wait so I suggest going early. This method is free of charge. and requires you to bring you ID card. There is an alphabetical order from 09:00-15:00. The order is A to F – Monday and Thursday, G to N – Tuesday and Friday and O to Z – Wednesday and Saturday.
The alternative method for a more state of the art experience and shorter wait times is to book an appointment at a private hospital. This will cost you approximately 350RS
THE STORY
In the week leading up to the lock down chaos broke loose in Mauritius. People were panic buying and filling their cars with fuel. The Mauritius Government declared there was to be a total lock down on the 20th of March 2020 from 0600hrs. Only essential services such as (police, hospitals, firefighters and banks) would be allowed to keep working. This meant we could not buy food for 2 weeks.
Luckily for us we have a big freezer which is always pretty full, but for others by the end of this time supplies where very low. The the government released that the supermarkets would be opened with special covid measures on the 2nd of April. These included alphabetical order (according to your surname), only one person from each household, you must take a trolly, keep single file and strict social distancing. The supermarkets worked a oneway system.
All travel in and out of the country was stopped and eventually once travel resumed people flying into Mauritius has to isolate for 14 days in a government decided location, some people got lucky and stayed at nice hotels while others stayed in government facilities.
This lockdown was lifted on the 15th of June, so for 3 months we were not allowed to leave our homes, unless for shopping. There was a second slightly shorter lockdown which started from the 9th of March 2021. This time the Government introduced 'red zones', fines of 5,000RS for those not obliging by lockdown rules and WAP (work access permits).
As of today while I am writing this on the 5th of April 2022. Mauritius has recorded 36,681 cases, 968 deaths and 34,298 recovered cases. I hope soon that all restrictions will be lifted
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