Summary

New Corona Virus- 2019 is a respiratory pathogen of public health importance because of its ability to spread rapidly. Currently all countries are at high risk of COVID- 19 and almost all have reported cases (WHO 2020 SitReps). In Tanzania, out of 26 regions 24 have reported sporadic cases of COVID-19. The country has implemented robust interventions including community awareness, suspension of air travel and restrictions to cross border movement of persons, restriction of public gathering and closure of institutions, promoting use of traditional medicine, faith healing, social distancing, public masking, hand washing, contact tracing, quarantine measures and case isolation. These measures resulted into the decrease of admitted cases. Despite these measures the country has not fully achieved outbreak control and remains at high risk of COVID-19 transmission due to high transmission rate in neighboring countries, reopening of commercial flights, ongoing cross-border trade, reopening of tourism, sports and learning institutions and commercial activities. The Government of Tanzania has demonstrated a high level of leadership and activated the response to be led by the Prime Minister and have implemented various measures including closure of schools and travel advisory. The country has also developed the COVID- 19 Response Plan, following an assessment done in collaboration with WHO in March 2020. Tanzania COVID 19 Pandemic Emergency Financing Facility Project (PEFFP) aims to prevent, detect and respond to the threat posed by COVID-19 in the United Republic of Tanza...