The Bank of Namibia said it has become aware of a leaked internal memo whereby it advised its staff of the decision to revert to stage 1 lockdown.
This follows revelations that the country’s 33rd Covid-19 case stayed in the same complex where some of the bank staff reside.
“The public is hereby informed that the circulating memorandum was meant for the staff of the bank, informing them of a precautionary decision taken as a result of possible exposure to Covid-19 case. The bank remains dedicated to protecting the wellbeing of its staff members hence the issuance of the memo. The public is therefore urged not to panic as all necessary measures have been put in place to adhere to health protocols established with regards to Covid-19,” read a statement from Bank of Namibia spokesperson Kazembire Zemburuka.
According to the leaked memo, case 33 recently arrived in the country from South Africa and in the process came into contact with several people at various locations.
Zemburuka further noted that no staff member of the bank has been traced by authorities to have come into contact with case number 33. However, the bank took the decision out of an abundance of caution, given that two of its staff members reside at the accommodation complex where case number 33 was residing. This means that the central bank will for the time being only allow those essential services that are not able to work from home to enter the bank’s premises for at least 14 days or as directed by their respective heads of department.
At the same time, the Bank of Namibia will revert to hosting virtual meetings and avoid face-to-face meetings with stakeholders in all interactions. In addition, the bank’s premises will be thoroughly disinfected.
The leaked internal memo also urged bank staff to remain calm and to protect themselves by regular washing or sanitising of hands and by wearing a face mask at all times.
“The bank is still operational, and no activities have been disrupted,” said Zemburuka.